Black Sand
by Oishii Hanashi
Summary: She went through the strokes of life just as a teenager should. She never shared how the sands of Egypt had been at her door, from parents who adored mythology to the mystery of their passing. Yet the sands come blowing through her door once again with a god requesting help to recover what he has lost. As the sands of Egypt sweep Nakia away, she will discover that there is no myth
1. Syrup Covered Hallucinations

**Prologue**

Perhaps it was the dream I had before my world changed that started all this. I would like to believe that the dream that night was just another of those strange night terrors I would have now and then. But hindsight is unforgiving. It had been so vivid, but the person I was then couldn't see the meaning it held as the person I am now can. It was now, standing on this boat, seeing the one place I wanted to be drift away from my sight, that I admitted to myself that the visions of that night weren't mere coincidence.

In that dream I was walking home from school. In front of me was Andrew Darnell. That day I had watched him be bullied yet again, and like always I hadn't done anything. My friends wouldn't like it. They wouldn't help me if I was bullied in retaliation for standing up for him. He was a wrist-cutting emo, after all. Why should anyone stick their neck out for him?

He was walking down the street, hood up, eyes to the ground, taking a fast pace without running outright. I tried to follow, wanting to give him something; reassurance maybe. But I couldn't reach him. The faster I moved, the further he moved from me until he wasn't visible anymore.

I stopped in my tracks, and by doing so heard a crunching sound from under my foot. I looked to the ground to see white flowers scattered across the road. They were white dahlias; the flowers my mom always had growing around our house. A long shadow of a silhouette overcame the flowers. I looked up, expecting Andrew to be there, when instead I saw the very house of my childhood with white dahlias all around it.

I didn't question why I was suddenly in my nightgown when I ran into my home. It seemed so right then. My mother and father were inside, turning things off and clearing everything out for the night. My dad promised my mother he would fix the grill tomorrow and gave her a kiss. I trotted off with my mother into my bedroom for a story. Not much like a dream but more of a memory, until the lights went off.

Was this part of the dream or was it part of my memories? I lay in bed, trying to fall asleep, but the sound of a pounding heartbeat kept me awake. It was so loud in my ears I thought the sound should shake the house. With one last beat, the sound stopped immediately. I should have been relieved, but a moment after a crash rang from outside my room. I threw my legs out of bed when another sound, now the shattering of glass, followed. My feet treaded across white pedals as I rushed out of my room.

There was a large dog in the living room standing among the broken glass. It was like a fox, with a sandy golden coat, black fur on its back and tail, and bat-like ears. Its auburn eyes stared deeply into mine with intelligence but lacking something human. And below, in its muzzle, was a jackal headed jar that had been in the shattered case.

The white petals were stirred and danced wildly in the air from the speed with which the dog escaped from the house. I chased after him, only thinking about getting back the jar in his mouth that belonged to my parents. Things like running away or the dangerous things that crept in the night didn't cross my mind.

But I never reached the dog. Because _that_ happened. Behind me came a roaring blast that made the night become day. I was thrown to the ground when a wave of scalding hot air hit me in the back. My body was sore and shocked with the only relief from the heat being the damp grass underneath me. The world was silent but for a soft bell that didn't stop it's tune. I pushed myself from the ground as though a puppeteer was directing my movements. I looked behind me and froze as my home and all the white dahlias burned in flames before me.

**Chapter 1: Syrup Covered Hallucinations**

There was no way for me to hide the evidence, I thought as I could feel my aunt watching me from behind. My pajamas were uncomfortably sticking to me as I had woken drenched in sweat. My eyes must have been red for them to feel so sore. I was almost glad my aunt was a klutz and had covered the kitchen in flour. I had an excuse to have my back to her so she couldn't see. Except, she wasn't really a klutz. She became this way when my aunt and uncle took me into their care. After her sister died. Maybe I made her spill the flour.

"I could still make pancakes…" my aunt murmured behind me.

"No!" I yelled but then caught myself and made an awkward smile. "No, just let me make them."

"Then I'll clean up the mess," she replied as she grabbed for the broom in my hands.

"There's glass," I protested.

"I'll be careful. Come on, go get pancake mix." She shooed me away and proceeded to smear the flour around the floor. I kept my mind on the task of pancakes.

I had been living with my Aunt Sophie and Uncle Dan for seven years now. I was thankful they took me in. I don't think they ever wanted to have children, yet they accepted me anyway. But it was stressful living here. As I've said, for some reason since I came here my aunt has developed a habit of dropping and breaking things, and trips over air at times. It's whittling away my uncle's patience. There's a tension between them that grows heavier by the day. And it all presses on me because I'm the cause of it.

As I poured batter into a saucepan and flipped pancakes, Aunt Sophia silently cleaned behind me. I didn't know my uncle was in here until I heard him exclaim, "Jesus Christ!" I turned around to see he had walked into the kitchen stepping on the pile of glass and flour. Sophia had made the pile at the kitchen's entrance.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she cried. My uncle stumbled out of the room and my aunt followed him out. _Keep flipping pancakes_, I told myself.

There was no evidence of there being glass on the floor when my aunt and uncle returned. I managed to have everything cleaned up and have a huge pile of pancakes on the table ready to eat. I was proud of myself. This wasn't a normal morning routine, because nothing after that nightmare could be normal. My aunt had the crazy idea of making something special for breakfast. In all honesty, it wasn't that bad of an idea, even though I ended up being the one doing everything.

"How's your foot?" I asked my uncle.

"I have a few scratches; nothing deep. It's a good thing I was wearing socks." Without further ado, he tore away at my offering of food. Why can't all people be as easily distracted by food as my uncle? It didn't keep my aunt from stealing glances at me. She looked flushed, probably embarrassed about maiming her husband's foot first thing in the morning. But she had those eyes of understanding that I hated to see. She knew, and all I could do was bare through it.

I had worked up an appetite this morning and was glad to eat something warm and comforting. I downed half a stack, and chugged some milk. I put the glass down ready to eat the rest of my food when I about dropped my fork. My plate was covered in white flower petals. Like my dream, except with more syrup. I squeezed my eyes closed for a second willing the vision away, my heart pounding deep in my chest. I opened my eyes. They were gone.

I should have still been hungry, but I wasn't. My heart wouldn't settle down. _I_ felt like I couldn't settle down. I needed to leave the table, and I wasn't exactly sure why.

"You aren't going to finish?" My aunt asked as I left my spot at the table.

"No, I'm full. And I need to get in the shower." I quickly left the room and headed upstairs.

No amount of hot water could relax the tension. Perhaps I was finally losing it. I had gone past the limit of how many nightmares one person could stand. Now the nightmares were invading my reality making me see things. No, I didn't really believe I was hallucinating. It was probably the glossiness of the syrup that made me think for a second there were flower petals. It made sense, but my heart was still keeping me anxious.

I left the house in record time. I probably beat the all-time record of "student most anxious to get to school" too. I was so early I couldn't enter the building for another fifteen minutes. I went to the gazebo in front of the school like I always did.

There, some of the people in my group had already started to congregate, probably the bus riders. High schools are infamous for their cliques, and mine was no different. My group was the "others" meaning we didn't have anything we shared in common. There wasn't really a group any of us belonged to. We just somehow ended up making our own place. I hung out here, but I didn't feel close to many of them. I wasn't invited to get-togethers that often, and I usually found out about their drama after it was over. But they kept me company during the hours I was forced to spend in these walls. It was enough.

Today it wasn't just us. There was a stranger sitting at the twin trees that grew by the gazebo. I only noticed him because of how he dyed his hair. As interesting of a haircut he had, I assumed I had never seen him because I usually never came to school this early. But I did today, because I was feeling anxious. Which I still felt. Intensely. I couldn't sit down after I greeted my friends. I stood, arms crossed, fingers tapping, pretending I was very engaged in whatever story they were sharing. This was until the one person I felt was more than an acquaintance showed up.

"Oh my god! You look like you're jacked up on coffee!" Molly exclaimed at the sight of me.

"Nope. Syrup, and pancakes."

"Close enough."

Before I could retort, Molly came directly where I sat and got on her knees. I guessed her game and didn't give her time to assume her begging position.

"You can look at my math homework, but I don't think I got them all right."

"That's fine! As long as it's done."

Molly scooted next to me as I rummaged through my bag. This wasn't a favor I would do for anyone but Molly. I personally know Molly is smart enough to do the homework, and it wasn't that she's too lazy to do it. She is a poster ADHD child, but her parents believe ADHD is a myth and never allowed her the medication to help with it. After several phone calls from her crying because she didn't know how to make herself focus, I started helping her out like this. Even now she was being distracted by the others jokes and probably forgotten momentarily she had an incomplete math assignment.

The bell rang signaling the students were allowed in the halls before class. I stood up and dangled my homework in front of Molly's nose. "You can give it back to me before class."

She took the paper while rolling her eyes. "Yeah, that won't be suspicious looking at all."

She had a point. I pulled out my notebook from my bag. I placed it beside her and started backing away with my hands up. "Oh no, I left without my notebook. I hope a good friend could return it for me."

"I'm gonna draw naked men on all your notes."

"Just leave my homework in the second divider when you're done." Chuckling to myself, I turned and left. That boy sitting at the trees was still there, but I didn't stick around to find out what his deal was. I had my own problems on my plate.

I still couldn't drive away the itchy anticipation that was crawling under my skin. I didn't go to the library like I had told Molly. Instead, I was speed walking through the halls, like I could burn the feeling away with some exercise. The warning bell rang, and I had to submit myself to sitting in a desk bored out of my mind.

I wasn't normally a foot tapper, so I couldn't blame the glares I got from my neighboring students for the constant tapping. But if it wasn't my feet, it was clicking my pen, and if it wasn't my pen it was grinding my teeth which made them ache. That was how I spent the first two hours of school. Third hour was better. Gym. I could run on the track and shock my PE teachers by being the only student not walking, but the feeling never went away.

After gym was when things got worse. After all the running, I was worn out and sweating. Not that my nerves were any better for it. I changed my clothes like I was in a race against myself. I was the first one waiting at the door to the hall. Exhausted, I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes to block the world.

But I couldn't block the world. I could still see.

My eyes snapped open from surprise. Was it an after image? An extremely clear after image? As the sweat from my long run ran down my back my itchy nerves climbed up my spine. I breathed out a long sigh and closed my eyes again. My eyes were closed. I could feel the muscles of my eyelids squeezing together. So why could I still see?

My vision was perfect. I could turn my head and see the PE teacher's office and the ugly tile walls. The only thing that was missing was color. Everything was in black and white, like the world had turned into an old film. I didn't want to keep my eyes closed anymore. I was shaken. I held my arms around myself as I tried to keep my emotions under control.

I didn't know what was happening to me. I was tired of it. I wanted the nerves to go away. I wanted to be able to close my eyes and have my eyes be closed. In that health class they make you take in middle school, they said this was a time when my body would be changing. I don't think they were talking about this.

Students started to pile into the narrow hall, getting as close to the door as they could so they would get out first. I didn't want to be near people right now. I instinctually closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to look at them. Naturally (or unnaturally), that didn't work. I turned away from them from my own frustration. Then I saw something unusual.

A spot of green. The one bit of color in this black and white world seemed to be glowing from a poster hanging on the bulletin board. I snapped my eyes open, as though to get a better view, but the green color disappeared as soon as the world regained its color. I scooted over to the bulletin board as I made sure no one was looking. They were too absorbed in their own business to notice me.

I closed my eyes for a moment again and the green glow returned. I pulled down the poster thinking maybe it had something to do with that, but the glow didn't move. It was as though it was coming from behind the board, or maybe behind the wall.

"Ugh, I didn't know you were into Flightrisk? That band's so gay." It took me a moment to realize the loud prep talking was addressing me. I noticed the poster hanging on the billboard was an ad for their new album, probably put up there by someone from my circle of friends.

I gave her a sarcastic smirk and said, "What can I say? The lead guitarist is hot."

"Freak," she retorted and gave an over-dramatic eye roll. Original remarks weren't her strong suit it seemed. But hey, I did like their music. They only got a bad rap recently because the lead guitarist said some controversial stuff in an interview. I didn't think he was hot really. It was just my way of saying, "Fuck you, I listen to what I want," to the obnoxious prep.

She had distracted me from my problems, but the bell rang and I was herded forward with everyone else. My anxiousness came back. I started to feel claustrophobic within the sea of students moving to class. As soon as I came to an open space, I pulled away for a moment to get some fresh air. I bent over and rubbed my eyes with my fingers, only to have another rude shock. If I held my hands in front of my closed eyes, I could see them. But as soon as I touched my eyes I was able to see past my fingers as though they weren't there.

"What in the world… what is happening to me?" I whispered shakily.

I closed my eyes again. It was there again. That green glow. But it wasn't coming from behind a wall. I could see through the glass doors to the open area that housed our gazebo. It was in there, in the direction of the twin trees. I zigzagged through students to get to the door. As I laid my hand on the door, I stopped myself. I would get in trouble for being out there if I were caught. And even if I wasn't, there wouldn't be enough time to look around. I had math class to go to. I abandoned the door and entered the stream of students once more. I had lunch next hour. I would be back then.

There were very little students in the classroom when I arrived. I must have been walking fast. I rushed into the class already anticipating how agonizing sitting through another class was going to be. Halfway to my desk, I saw someone I didn't expect.

It was that boy I saw this morning sitting by the twin trees. The suspicious boy who showed up on the same day I started having strange things happening to me and was sitting where that bright glow was. In fact, even now he was sitting in Andrew Darnell's seat by the window looking down at that very spot. I was sure I had never seen him before. That was why his hair had struck me as peculiar. I had never seen someone with black hair on top with the bottom half bleached a golden blonde before. Though, seeing him a second time, I had the nagging feeling of déjà vu but brushed it off.

I sat at my seat and watched him. Part of me was hoping staring at him would catch his attention so I could ask him why he showed up to mess up my life. But he kept intently staring outside. His eyes looked dead. It gave me goose bumps to look at him too long.

But then the jocks of Algebra II came into the room billowing with laughter. They were a special kind of annoying. Just yesterday, as part of their usual routine, they ganged up on Andrew and continuously mocked him whenever the teacher wouldn't hear them. I wanted to curse them out in turn. But Molly had locked eyes with me and shook her head with frightened eyes. The number one rule; don't get involved or you'll be next.

And now they were heading to Andrew's seat that was currently being occupied by the boy that shouldn't be here. He must have terrible luck to have chosen the worst possible seat to sit in. Jacob was in the front of the group and wasn't someone who was difficult to spot. Just like dogs, they choose their pack leader by who was the biggest and most intimidating. Jacob stood directly beside Andrew's desk as his coons stood around him.

_Thunk_. Jacob kicked at the desk. The boy sitting there didn't even blink. _Thunk_! Jacob kicked again yet much harder. It scooted the desk a bit, yet did nothing to get the boy's attention.

"Hey, Emo," Jacob jested as he kicked the desk again. I thought it was strange that Jacob called him an emo like he did with Andrew. The boy wasn't even wearing black but a bright yellow t-shirt.

"I think he's checked out, you know?" One of the surrounding jocks said while circling his finger to say he was crazy.

Jacob knew no restraint. He raised his hand and slapped the boy in the head. It wasn't a terribly violent hit, but it still would have hurt. The boy still acted like he didn't notice them. Watching all this was unsettling. Jacob leaned on the desk and said, "Andy, you better look at me when I'm talking to you, ass wipe."

No, that boy wasn't Andrew. But even as I puzzled over Jacob's words, the boy finally took notice. He barely turned his head. He only turned enough so he could see him from the corner of his eye. His look was empty, like he didn't care about anything that was going on. I suppose Jacob saw that too because he hesitated before saying, "Look at you, trying to act like you're tough. Think you can grow a dick or something?"

The group chuckled, not registering their leader's moment of unease. One of their thugs closest came from the door and gestured to them. They all dissipated, taking cheap shots at the boy as they passed them. Just a few seconds later, Mr. Bagniefski came into the room none the wiser that there had been any bullying here a moment ago. I looked over at the boy who continued to stare out the window, only now his expression was no longer a dead look but had sadness in his eyes.

And then I was hit in the head with a notebook. Molly was standing over me holding to the notebook I "forgot". I took the notebook and said, "Thanks, so how was it?"

"You got two wrong," she replied a little smugly. She eyed the teacher but he was too distracted to notice our conversation.

"Hey, Molly," I whispered to her. "Do you know who that kid is sitting by the window?"

She only glanced for a sheer second before saying unhappily, "Its Andrew."

I shook my head. "That can't be Andrew. He looks nothing like him."

She stole a moment to look over taking longer than a second this time. I hoped for a moment that she would see what I did and agree he wasn't Andrew. But she replied, "He looks the same as he did yesterday. Don't kid around." The bell rang. Her previous frustration melted off her in an instant and she quickly whispered, "Thanks a lot," before heading back to her seat.

I was in a stunned silence. The person behind me had to jab me with the pile of papers several times before I realized we were passing homework forward. The teacher silently took attendance and I wondered if he would mark Andrew absent, but he didn't seem bothered at all that the boy was here despite not being a part of our class. Nothing made sense at all, and I wondered if I would wake up soon or not.

I couldn't tell you what we did in class. The teacher could have ripped off his shirt and danced on the table and I wouldn't have noticed. I spent the class in my head running through the same circle of thoughts. The dream. The boy. Andrew Darnell. The green glow. The more the thoughts blended together, the more it made my head hurt.

He had sat through the class as disinterested with the teacher's lecture as I was. He stared out the window silently. It was twenty minutes in that he finally did something. Like a ghost, he left his seat and walked out the classroom. No one reacted. The teacher didn't stop talking. No one looked over at the sound of the door clicking shut.

I moved to follow him. I must have thought for a moment that I could do the same as him and leave as easily. I couldn't. Everyone looked to me and Mr. Bagniefski said while writing out an equation, "I'm not yet done with the lesson."

"Just going to sharpen my pencil," I said softly.

He looked up and pointed out, "That's a mechanical pencil."

Everyone snickered. I was at a loss, and felt like an utter idiot in front of everyone. I needed to leave, but all I could was sit back in my seat, shame written all over my face.

The teacher continued to go through a problem explaining each step of solving it while I tried to think of steps to solve my own problem. A solution came sliding across the floor and hitting me in the foot. I picked up the number 2 and looked to the other row. Molly made eye contact with for a second before looking down at her notes. I broke the tip of the pencil on the edge of the desk.

This time when the teacher saw me stand, I held up the pencil and said, "My other pencil is out of lead." Mr. Bagniefski continued the lesson trying to pull the students from being distracted by me. At first I thought this would be a good idea as I would be right next to the door. But I forgot how loud those old, metal pencil sharpeners are. Several people looked over at me, mostly looking irritated, at the sound. I prolonged it, pretending to inspect the tip of the pencil, but there was no way I could slip out without anyone noticing.

"Mr. Bagniefski," Molly called out with her hand raised.

"Yes, Molly."

"When are we ever going to use the quadratic formula in our lives?"

Some students laughed, and I stood poking at the tip of my pencil while watching the class from the corner of my eye.

"It's not something you would need, say, when writing your grocery list. But learning these things will have its uses in your future professions. Careers like programming use a lot of mathematical formulas to make those video games you kids love so much…"

"No one programs video games for graphing calculators," a student remarked. Now everyone was laughing and completely engaged in the discussion. No one saw me step out the door.

I went straight downstairs guessing where he would have gone. Sure enough, I reached the glass door to the gazebo and the boy was standing out there. He wasn't alone, though. A man that looked like he was in his mid-twenties was standing in front of the boy using his arm to lean against the tree. They were talking to each other but I couldn't hear what they were saying. I slowly cracked the glass door and their voices reached my ears.

"…chopped it down. But after the school was built, my trees grew again in less than a year. I bet those humans were completely alarmed. But they didn't try it again." The man was smirking as he told his story but the boy showed no interest at all. He just stood there, silent with a blank face, as the seconds grew more awkward. "Man, kid, learn how to take a little interest why don't you."

"You said you had a GVN here that would help me. Where is it, Bitou?" said the boy.

Bitou scoffed and replied, "You're too impatient. You came all this way and you can't even take a moment to listen to a good story." He then smirked and said, "Very well. I can't give it to you. But if you're wondering where it is, she's standing over there."

They both turned and looked straight at me; Bitou with a confident smile and the boy with a confused look on his face.


	2. Dogs and Gods

**Chapter 2: Dogs and Gods**

I stood frozen as the two men stared at me standing stalk still in the door way. I wasn't really sure what they were talking about but I did not want them to notice me so quickly. Luckily, I was spared from having to say anything.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Bitou suddenly exclaimed pulling the boy's curious face from me. "I have a gift for you. I think you'll like it."

There was a moment of awkward silence. I thought if he had a gift he would be pulling it out now, but he didn't make any such movement. He just grinned at the boy who stared back at him with a thoughtful look.

"Is that so?" the boy inquired. "And it is where?"

"All in good time. You'll have it soon enough, anyway. Well, I've done all I can do. The rest is up to you. I do wish you the best of luck." Bitou gave one last smile and faded into thin air.

It wasn't every day you saw someone disappear like that, so it was understandable for me to be in utter shock at the sight. I didn't notice at first the boy had approached me until his chestnut eyes were directly in front of mine.

"May I ask what your name is?" the boy asked.

I mechanically opened my mouth to answer but then I felt my attention being tugged to the two large trees ahead as though a siren was blaring from over there. I was only several feet away from the spot where the green glow was coming from and now I could think of nothing more than finding its source.

I walked past the boy without a word. When I reached the trees I closed my eyes. It was coming from the ground right in between the two tree trunks. I ran my hand through the grass vigorously but there was nothing hidden there. I then realized that this green glow was larger than it had looked from far away.

I stared at the ground for a moment as I thought about what to do next. It couldn't be buried in the ground could it? It didn't seem likely as the grass and soil didn't look to have been disturbed. But finer details escaped me as my determination had me clawing my hands into the dirt. I was so focused I forgot all about the boy and jumped when he spoke next to me.

"Do you need help with that?"

My eyes tightened into a glare, but otherwise I shook my head and kept digging. My pants were getting dirty and my fingernails were full of soil. After a couple of minutes of toiling, my fingers scraped against something hard. I started digging around the object so I could pull it out. It felt round and long, but it was smooth and hard. For a moment I thought the universe hated me and had sent me a magically glowing beer bottle. I finally managed to dislodge it from its grave and found it was a jar. I pulled it out from the ground. When I saw what it was, I felt as though ice water had been dumped on top of me.

The body of it was an aged, white color. It was rounded but tall. The top of the jar I recognized all too well. The jackal head was black and had a fierce, long snout. It wore a green and gold headdress on its head as most paintings of mummies had. I absentmindedly rubbed the dirt off of it as tears rolled down my face.

I couldn't keep from thinking of all my memories connected to this jar. I remembered my parents enthusiastically describing it to me. Then I thought of the night it had been stolen. Nothing my parents owned survived the fire. Nothing but this jar. And now it was in my hands after six years of it being missing. The boy shuffled next to me.

"So this was Bitou's gift." I saw his hand reach out for the jar and I quickly got up and backed away from him.

"No! You can't have this!" I yelled at him. It was irrational to get so angry. I wanted to blame him for everything that has happened today. I wanted to scream at him to get out of my life. Instead, I clutched the jar to me and ran away from the school.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why aren't you in school?" My uncle asked as he came in through the front door.

"I came home early. Aunt Sophie called in for me. What are you doing home?"

"I couldn't stand listening to Barbara talking nonstop next to my office so I'm working from home today. I'll be in my room." He was about to go upstairs when he stopped suddenly. "Why does it smell like pinesol?"

"I… I've been cleaning."

He looked at me suspiciously. When I ran home in my emotional state, I came to realize that this hectic feeling I had been carrying with me this whole day hadn't gone away. I was restless. Without thinking about it, I started cleaning every part of the house, even getting out a ladder to dust the ceiling fans. It helped to have something to focus on.

"You should be staying in your room," My uncle scolded. "Even if you're playing hooky, at least pretend you're sick." And he headed upstairs.

I should have felt guilty, but with all that had occurred today I didn't have the energy to feel concerned. Try as I might, I couldn't keep my mind from wondering back to the jar and how it had appeared so suddenly after all this time. My gut reaction was that it was connected to everything that had occurred today but I couldn't wrap my mind around how that was. The puzzle pieces were scattered, but I couldn't fit them together. There were still pieces to the picture missing.

I glanced at the jar sitting on the table. It never left my sight since coming home. It was a strange sensation that the sight of it made memories flood into my mind. My mother complaining about the fingerprints I was leaving on the glass cabinet that housed it. My father explaining mummification in detail that probably wasn't suitable for my young age. A foxish dog holding it in its muzzle.

The fire.

I picked up the jar from the table when the doorbell rang. I was too overwhelmed to deal with a salesman. Nevertheless, I answered the door to find someone I wasn't expecting.

Standing in the doorway was the boy with the black and copper hair. Anger flared when I saw him. I made to slam the door in his face. He reacted too quickly, though, and managed to slide his foot in the doorway. I wondered if it hurt when the door slammed into his foot. I found I didn't care much if it did.

From the crack in the door an arm holding my backpack shoved itself inside. I had completely forgotten about it. I sharply snatched if from him. His arm dropped out of site. "May I come in?" his voice sounded from the other side.

I hesitated. Although this would be a good chance to get some answers from him, my Uncle Dan would not allow me bringing a friend into my room. Not when I'm "sick".

I leaned forward and spoke in a fast, hushed voice. "You can't come in through the door while my uncle is here. My room is on the top floor. The tree over there is right next to my window. If you can get to it without making any noise, I'll let you in."

I kicked his foot and closed the door quickly wondering if I'd done the right thing. Throwing my backpack over my shoulder, I headed up the stairs.

My uncle popped his head out of his room when I reached the top of the stairs. "Who was that at the door?" he asked.

"Molly brought my homework over," I lied. This seemed to be enough for my uncle. I went into my room. There was a soft knock as soon as I entered and I saw the boy sitting on the tree branch right outside my window. I put my things on my bed and opened the window.

"You climb as fast as a squirrel," I commented. He climbed in with no reply. I stood uncomfortably as the boy stood on my chest under the window observing my room. He stopped when he saw the jar on my bed and I could almost see a light spark in his eyes. He then looked at me with very thoughtful eyes. His eyes had fierceness in them, but I stared right back into his with what I hoped was fierceness too. To break the moment, I said, "We need to talk."

"Yes, we do." He sat on the chest as he said it. I went over to my bed to sit and held the jar in my lap. The boy looked at the jar in my hands before he looked up to address me. "I hadn't meant to scare you earlier."

I snorted. He didn't really react at all to my contemptuous answer. His blank stare was very unsettling.

He took a moment to look at the jar again before continuing. "I came here to ask you for the canopic jar. It's very important to me, you see. I would be grateful if you would let me have it."

I could tell he was picking his words carefully, but I wasn't going to let him flatter me into giving it off. "No, you can't have it."

"Why not?"

"It's not yours."

"Then whose is it?"

I remained silent not wanting to explain it was once my parents and open the conversation into a long story I didn't want to share. It was my business, not his. He leaned back where he sat regarding me.

"Do you know how many of those kind of jars exist? Mortals have been making replicas of these since they started digging them up in the ancient lands. Just about every tourist stand in Egypt sells them. There's a better chance of that being another knock-off than it being your parents."

"I never said it was my parents," I whispered.

He didn't show much reaction. His eyes turned glassy and he cast them to the floor. I was shaken, but I tried not to let it show. Had he made a lucky guess, or did he know more than he should? I didn't want to believe it, but I was leaning towards the latter.

"What can I do to get you to give me the jar?" he asked me.

"You're not very good at this, are you?" I scrutinized. "I'm not giving it to you." I leaned back putting my weight on my arms. I didn't like it. It was so inhuman how I could flat out tell him no and he gave no reaction at all. "Tell me something," I continued. "At school everyone thought you were Andrew Darnell, but you're not. Why is that?"

He scrunched his eyebrows together looking confused. "You don't think I'm Andrew Darnell?"

"Why should I?" I replied slowly. He glanced at me but shook his head looking away. "Just who are you?"

"If I tell you, will give me the jar?"

"I might start considering it, maybe."

That seemed to be enough for him. "My name is Anubis."

"And my name is Cleopatra."

He cocked an eyebrow. "No it isn't."

I hid my face in my hands and groaned. This guy couldn't be serious. "Of course it isn't. It's just… whatever. So, what, is Anubis a gang name or something?"

"No. It's what I go by."

"Then what did your parents name you? Give me that name."

"It doesn't matter. No one calls me that anymore," he responded flatly.

"Fine, fine. Whatever. Then _Anubis_," I said his name as though it were a slur, "while you were playing around as Andrew's replacement, where is the real Andrew?"

He slumped back against the window with a gloomy look on his face. He then looked me in the eyes and said, "He committed suicide yesterday."

I squeezed my grip on the canopic jar in my lap feeling my pulse pound in the veins of my hand. Andrew had killed himself. It somehow didn't surprise me, sadly, but it still left me feeling horrible. I didn't know him well. I had a feeling he had a rough life at home, and then school was sure to be hell for him too. I saw him leaving school yesterday and thought about talking to him. Why did I stop myself? Could I have done something if I had? Maybe. Maybe not. It wouldn't stop me from feeling quilt over it. I was so thoroughly miserable I forgot about 'Anubis' before he asked, "Are you okay?"

"How do you even know this? Were you involved?"

"No."

"Then why?! Why are you here acting like you're him?"

"Bitou led me here, but he never answered my calls. I needed to stay close, so playing the part of a student was a good opportunity."

"You're exploiting his death," I whispered.

"I made a deal with him."

I regarded him, now wary of the kind of person I had allowed into my room. "So then you helped him kill himself?"

He shook his head. "He was already dead when I first met him."

"That's not even …!" I cut off in exasperation.

"Can I have my jar now?"

I was too upset to say anything else. I could feel he was keeping things from me. Everything he said merely added to the mystery of what was going on. Our conversation was only a dance around the truth at the center of everything. I felt so helpless now I asked in almost a pleading tone, "Why do you want this jar so much?"

"My heart is inside it."

It took a second for the meaning of his words to register. I glared at his impassive figure. "What do you mean? You can't mean that literally."

"I mean my heart was cut into twelve pieces and placed into canopic jars. Yours is one of many others."

Could the person I'm talking to be off his rocker? I suppose normally I wouldn't have a doubt he was. He showed the emotional range of a spoon, he believes he can talk to dead people and live without a heart. I should be escorting him to a mental hospital. But I can see glowing jars and a black and white world when I close my eyes. I wasn't exactly one to judge what is sane and insane.

"Are you a ghost or something?"

He shook his head.

"I don't think you're a zombie either…" What was I entertaining by asking these questions? I wasn't really sure myself why I was considering these things. As I thought, his name struck a chord. I imagined how he would respond to my question. It gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. I asked anyway.

"Are you a god?"

He nodded.

The jar felt warmer than I was. Supposedly it had a severed heart in it. I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it anymore.

"Are you from Egypt then?"

"Originally, yes."

"Your head looks a bit too human for an Egyptian god." At this point I wasn't putting much thought into what I was saying. The words just spilled out of my mouth.

"We never did use those forms often. It makes us stand out as you can imagine."

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so…" I couldn't even work myself to feel shocked anymore. So many impossible things had already happened today. At this point I merely felt drained. I hadn't the energy to keep up a conversation so I sat in silence slowly turning the jar in my lap around and around.

"May I ask you something?" the boy finally said.

"What is it?"

"How was it that you knew the jar was buried in the ground?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "I could… see it, somehow. It was glowing, but only when my eyes were closed."

"Hmm, that's why your eyes were closed…" his voice trailed off. "Bitou had said something like that. He called you a GBF."

"GPS," I corrected.

"Yeah, that."

"Who was that guy anyway?"

"Just one of the gods. I can't say I know him too well, but he has a good eye. He's good at finding things. Or people."

"And he somehow knew who I was and that I could find this jar?"

"It would appear so."

I sighed and hid my face in my hands. Even with my hand covering my eyes I could still see Anubis's mono-colored figure sitting across from me. "I'm sorry, I just… How am I supposed to believe any of this?"

He pointed to my lap. "You have the evidence right there."

I looked at him warily and slowly lifted the jar. I held it to my ear to see if I could hear anything. At first I heard nothing. Then I could hear a faint, rhythmic pounding. I almost screamed. I was done holding on to it.

"See," Anubis said as though to make his point.

I thrust the jar at him. "Here. You can have it now."

He took the jar from me. I reluctantly watched him as he pulled the head off the jar. He lifted the bottle to his mouth and drank from it. Some blood trickled from his mouth. It was seeing a black lump of flesh spasm before it entered his mouth that had me running to the bathroom. I threw up everything in my stomach. I suppose this was a long time coming. As much as seeing Anubis drink his own heart had turned my stomach, it was also the trigger that made me believe he was telling me the truth. I had helped a god sneak into my room through my bedroom window.

I heard footsteps behind me. Thinking Anubis followed me, I turned around only to see my uncle at the doorway.

"Oh, I'll use the downstairs bathroom," he stammered. He quickly walked to the stairs and I sighed. I guess now he won't think I'm playing hooky. I stood up and trudged back to my room. I noticed that the anxiousness that had been plaguing me was gone.

Anubis was wiping his mouth off with the back of his hand when I came in. I had a feeling I wouldn't be eating dinner tonight.

"Thank you," Anubis said. He was smiling at me, which was a first. He probably wouldn't be too bad looking if he didn't have that emptiness still lingering in his eyes.

"Yeah…Yeah, sure." I was suddenly more nervous talking to him than I was before. I couldn't possibly imagine how I could have ended up being involved with someone like him. It was absurd. But here he was, though not for long. He got what he wanted. My crazy day was coming to an end, and I was sure he would disappear with it.

Until he asked, "Will I see you at school tomorrow?"

His question stunned me. "Yeah… yeah, I'll be there," I stammered in response.

He gave a small smile. He turned to go out when a thought tugged at my mind I couldn't ignore.

"Wait!" I called out and Anubis turned around.

"How did you know my parents had a jar like that one?"

Anubis looked at me for a moment and then responded, "Because I was the one who stole it from them." He turned back and jumped out the window.


	3. Desks are Powerful Weapons

**Chapter 3: Desks are Powerful Weapons**

I had a restless night. I tossed around, lying on my back to lying on my side to lying on my other side. I kicked the sheets off me then pulled them back on. I got up to get a drink of water. I turned the ceiling fan on. Nothing I did made my body want to sleep. It's hard to get yourself comfortable when you're uncomfortable in your own thoughts.

I had a whole night to think about it. In all honesty, I wish Anubis had taken his jar and left. Those memories; I didn't like having to dig them up. What's more, he had changed them. Somehow there was a different meaning to why my parents had died and I hadn't. It had always been a fluke accident to me for all these years; a random act of nature that no one could control or predict. But I could never explain the dog, until now. Anubis was there. For the jar. Was their death, my survival, something more than the cruelty of coincidence?

No, I couldn't believe that the fire was meant to happen. There was no meaning to it. The grill was faulty, blew up the grill's gas tank, and blew up both the cars. My parents never left their bed. I should have died with them. The only reason I didn't was because I chased after the dog, or the jackal. Something I could never explain, that I could never convince anyone had happened, suddenly became more real than it had ever been. Was my life spared by a god? I wasn't sure if I was ready to accept that.

My alarm went off. I felt like I hadn't been asleep even though I knew I must have. I slapped the power button thinking that he would be there today. He was going to somehow disrupt my life even more than he had yesterday I was sure. I shouldn't keep him waiting.

At least this morning felt more normal than yesterday's had. Sophie didn't bother trying to make anything. We had cereal. Sophie didn't even spill anything. It was amazing.

I didn't think anything about Sophie walking beside me by the sink as I was washing out my bowl. I had a too much on my mind to notice. But in the next moment she was wrapping her arms around me. It surprised me, and it felt a bit awkward. She pulled away smiling but showing she felt a bit awkward as well.

"What's up, Aunt Sophie?" I asked not really knowing what was best to say.

"I feel like I should ask you that," she replied, her intuition as sharp as ever. "It seems like there is something going on, but you don't want to tell me about it, do you?"

I looked down. How could I tell her? She only smiled. "I know. I remember what it was like to be your age. I just wanted you to know that I love you and only want you to be safe." She squeezed my shoulder and walked away.

"Thank you," I called to her. I saw her nod with her back to me and leave the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He was at the same place as yesterday. There were only a couple of people at the gazebo, but Anubis sat alone. He was looking in another direction, his eyes not seeming to be focused on anything. The morning light emphasized the stark color difference in his hair. I could have ignored him and gone to my group of friends instead. But I didn't. I passed them and went to sit by the spot I had dug in the ground the day before.

"Good morning," I said as casually as I could when I walked up to him.

He turned his head away from the point of space he was staring at. Upon seeing me his eyes lit up and he replied, "Morning."

I sat down, resting my back on the opposite tree trunk. He watched me as I settled my backpack on the ground next to me. His expression wasn't the warm one he greeted me with. There was intensity in his stare. I felt a bit self-conscience under his glare but forced myself to look him in the face. Then I noticed that he looked paler, almost clammy, compared to yesterday.

"You look kind of pale," I remarked.

He paused. That distant, blank look had returned. Yes, it still creeped me out.

"Yes, I probably do," was how he responded.

There was silence between us. I didn't know how to fill it. There was so much I could ask him about but I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"Do you know why I'm here?" Anubis finally asked.

I shook my head. "Not the faintest clue."

He sighed, nodding his head in turn. He pulled on the grass taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'm here to request your service."

"_My_ service?"

He nodded. "You are different. You could see where my heart was hidden. I think you can do this for the other pieces of my heart."

"Then you want me to help you find them?" He nodded. "That… I don't even know where I would start…"

"I would help you, of course," he assured.

"That would, you want me to leave then, don't you?" Again, he nodded. "For how long?"

"I have been searching for the canopic jars for a hundred years, yet I've only managed to find four or them, three of them on my own." His eyes darted to me. "With you it'll be faster. How much so I don't know."

I was shaking my head in disbelief. "No. No, I can't just up and leave. I have a life here. Family and friends. If I left, if I disappeared," my heart grew heavy. "… I can't imagine what that would do to them."

His shoulders fell and he looked thoroughly downcast. I could tell he had a lot riding on this, and that I had completely disappointed him.

"Maybe you could find someone else to help you find your heart?" I suggested.

He didn't even bother to look at me. "You don't know how rare someone like you is."

"But, you're a god."

"I'm not omnipotent. If I were, I would have my heart back already."

"I guess you have a point…" I trailed off. It was quiet. Even my friends in the nearby gazebo weren't being a rowdy as usual. I wondered what they thought of me being over here. I wondered what they saw.

"So you're not mad at me?" I asked.

He furrowed his brow, looking uncertain. "I… don't know."

"You don't?" I asked, a bit bewildered. But it made sense in a strange way. He acted so emotionless most of the time. A missing puzzle piece clipped into place. "You're missing your emotions."

He nodded. "Yes. Quite a few of them."

There was a gust of wind that made me shiver. Anubis kept pulling at the grass around him. "Then what do you feel?"

"… sad. Maybe something else. It's kind of faint." He stopped playing with the grass and looked me in the eye. "I had spent a lot of time looking for you. Well, looking for what Bitou promised would make my search quicker. Yesterday I had finally found you yet felt nothing towards it. I couldn't."

He paused for a moment and then continued. "But then you gave me that part of my heart that has allowed me to feel happy again, and I realized I was glad to have met you. I'm glad I found you." He looked down at the ground and said in a quieter voice, "I will be at the school for today as there is still one more thing I need to do. After that I will leave."

He stood up and I stood up with him. "This is it then?"

He nodded. Then he made to walk past me but as he did a finger graced my neck and tugged on the chain of my necklace. The sensation surprised me and I jerked away defensively. He caught my eye and merely gave a faint smile. "I'll send Osiris your regards," he said and left.

It disturbed me. I didn't know how he could tell. My necklace was always under my shirt, but he knew.

When I was younger, probably a year after the fire, I found a replica of the amulet of Osiris on the internet and begged my uncle to order it for me. In all honesty, it wasn't really right for me to wear it. The Egyptians would put this amulet on the dead so they would have a physical form or other in the afterlife. But I didn't care about what sort of magical power it was supposed to have. If there was any god that could connect me with my parents, it was Osiris. He ruled the underworld where my parents should be. I kept this amulet because it was the only thing that made me feel less empty because they were gone.

Did I really believe in the gods back then? I must have to feel so strong about having this amulet. Perhaps that belief dulled over the years as I grew older. Those stories were just that. Stories. I had thought that, until yesterday.

I didn't have the heart to go and hang out with my friends at the gazebo. I sat leaning on one of the trees running my hand around the disturbed earth I had dug into. Someone had filled the hole back in. It was like a grave for what had once been there. I imagined making a grave marker writing 'My Ignorant View of the World. You were gone before I knew it, and only the gods know why."

Molly joined my imaginary burial ceremony. She even looked concerned for me, but I didn't think it was over my mourning.

"G' morning," I said.

"Hey, Cody and Snow said you were over here talking to Andrew Darnell. What's that about?"

So that hadn't stopped. Yesterday it only bewildered me. Today it was thoroughly depressing. Andrew's dead but only I knew that.

I couldn't answer her. I merely mimicked Anubis and started pulling at the grass.

"Do you like him?"

A laugh escaped me at that. "What? You're kidding. I'm not talking to Andrew because I have a crush on him."

"Then why are you hanging out with him all of a sudden?"

"It doesn't matter," I retorted starting to feel agitated.

"Look, I did you a huge favor yesterday -"

"And I'm really grateful you did. I owe you one."

"But you never came back. I was going to take your things to your house if I didn't see you again at school, but Andrew told me he would take care of it. What am I supposed to think when he's visiting you at your house after school?"

I sighed audibly. Anubis wasn't exactly discreet about that. "I get it Molly, but really, I don't want to get into it."

"Fine, but I really don't think you should hang around him. If Jacob catches wind of it, you'll be on his list. Besides, I hear Andrew is into some weird Indian ritual stuff."

It sounded so disgusting. Was this the rumor that helped bring him to suicide? Even if it was true, that didn't mean he deserved this.

"I don't care, Molly!" I snapped. "I can talk to whoever I want to. If you can't handle it, then deal."

"You must love him a lot," she snidely remarked.

"Seriously!" I stood up, all my frustration built up in a heat of anger. "You don't know! You have no idea what you're saying, and you're going to end up regretting it!"

I grabbed my backpack and stormed away. Behind me Molly shouted, "You're the one who's gonna regret it!"

I opened the door into the school. "I already do," I said to myself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I had no idea what was keeping Anubis in the school. I saw him between classes walking the path Andrew had taken every day. Other than that, the day felt ordinary. No one asked about me slipping out of class yesterday. No one really noticed me enough to know or care anyway. Would no one notice when Andrew stopped coming to school like they didn't notice Anubis is a different person? Would anyone care? Well, Jacob would. He would be down one punching bag.

If I were tested on anything that was covered in any of my classes today I would get a zero. I couldn't focus on anything. I was still mad at Molly, and thinking about having a god wandering around the school bothered me. It hadn't completely sunk in, either. Anubis, the god of the dead and weigher of hearts, existed and was in my school. It was hard to fit the idea of the god of legend with the boy at a modern day school wearing regular clothes. It was like I had figured they would be fossilized in the era they came from.

Gym was a blur full of me running till my breath came in pants and my side hurt. What I was running from I didn't know. Maybe I was trying to figure out where I was going. Soon enough, it was time for math, my only class with Andrew. Anubis would be there. So would Molly. This was going to be the most uncomfortable class of my life.

Anubis was sitting in the same seat as yesterday, though now he was staring blank face at the white board instead of out the window. I silently sat at my seat. I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't know if I had anything to say to him. He would be gone after today. There was nothing left to talk about.

Jacob and his crew came in. This would be the last day they would pick on "Andrew". Would they feel guilt when they found out he committed suicide or would they just move on to the next weak person they could find? I hated them so much at this moment. I didn't know if I could stand to share the classroom with them for the rest of the semester.

I expected them to go bother Anubis. They should have gone to him. Instead, Jacob sat in the desk in front of me leaning his elbows on my desktop.

"Hello beautiful."

Laughs. His dogs were trained well to know when to laugh even when nothing funny was said. I didn't like that Jacob was bothering me. I looked at my notes pretending I didn't notice them.

"Are you being shy, sweetheart? Come on. Let's be friends."

He was leaning forward, completely in my space. I could smell the cigarette smoke that radiated from his jacket. I didn't look at him, but continued to stare fixedly at my notebook. In a sudden movement, Jacob ripped the notebook off my desk and threw it at the floor. At the same time I heard to screech of a desk sliding against the floor and a scuffle of footsteps. I didn't look to see what they were doing. I glared at where my notebook had been as though it were still there.

"Leave her be." I heard the words to my right and was surprised that they belonged to Anubis.

"Don't be like that, Andy. I'm just making simple conversation with her," Jacob replied.

I glanced over at Anubis. He didn't look angry in the least, but he was tense. I could see he was struggling with something, like he didn't know how to react in these situations. I wondered how much emotion was important to understand what was going on around you.

Jacob took advantage of me looking up at Anubis to grab my attention. He snapped his fingers and I reflexively looked for the source giving him the attention he wanted. "Tell me something, sweetheart. Are you Andrew's girlfriend because you _love_ him, or are you just his fuck buddy?"

I felt like I had fallen out of my chair. The hyenas laughed all around. I looked away from Jacob looking for a certain desk. She was there. When she came into the classroom I didn't know. Molly looked shocked at the scene taking place. We locked eyes and I let my feeling of betrayal show plainly on my face. Her eyes widened and she slowly shook her head.

Molly wouldn't have sold me out to Jacob's crew no matter how angry she was. That meant someone overheard our argument. There were plenty of people in the gazebo who could have heard. The message was clear. They didn't want me dragging Andrew and his problems into their group. They would rather throw me to the wolves.

I was feeling shaky. I had never felt so angry, and I wasn't sure what all my anger was toward. Jacob certainly, but was I mad at my pseudo friends, Anubis, myself…? Jacob didn't like that I was ignoring him. His hand swiftly reached into my backpack and pulled out a small carrying bag. I kept personal things in it, like my wallet, phone, and chapstick. He held it smugly out of my reach. "Do you keep your condoms in here?"

I stood up swiftly. I was barely had control of my anger. Looking down on him, I managed to calmly say, "I'm not putting up with you. Give me back my bag and leave, or I'll tell Mr. Bagniefski you're stealing from me.

He gave a small chuckle. He stood up and took a moment to regard me. "Or I'll tell Mr. Bags that it's mine. It's your word," he pushed my shoulder with a finger, "against mine."

"Fine," I replied shortly. "Then you can explain to the teacher how the tampon in there is for your pussy."

I got some stiff laughs from some of the students in the room. The temperature seemed to drop. Jacob still held his smug smirk but it felt more forced now.

"STOP IT!"

The high pitched scream turned all our heads. Molly was standing, red faced, with her arms tightly held at her sides. She shoved the desks out of the way to stand between us. She grabbed at my arm tugging it. "Come on!" She pulled harder but I resisted.

"I'm not running away."

"Stay out of this, Schleef. Do you really want to make trouble for yourself?" Jacob chided. His glare intimidated her and I felt her grip on my arm loosen.

"You are the one making trouble."

I had forgotten Anubis was here until he spook. Jacob turned his attention to him and scoffed, "When did you grow a pair of balls? You keep your mouth shut!" He said his words while stabbing a finger at him. Jacob's cool was slipping. Looking irritated he muttered toward Andrew, "God, I wish you'd die."

I didn't think. I don't know where my strength came from. I grabbed my desk and lifted up swiftly into the air as though it were made of Styrofoam. I felt some resistance to the weight of the desk but ignored it. With all the strength my arms had, I swung the desk over the top of Jacob's head. He fell backwards as the desk came down onto him. Before I knew it he was sprawled on the ground with the desk on top of him.

His friends swept over to him. The room had seemed muted but the sound slowly came back.

"Oh my God!"

"I can't believe it."

"Is she okay?"

She? I stepped back and my foot hit something. I looked at the ground behind me. Molly was laying there. She fumbled to get her bearings looking only semiconscious. I suddenly realized why I felt some resistance while lifting the desk. The desk had hit Molly too.

I backed away horrified. There was a welt already forming above her right eye. I was shaking terribly. My eyes stung and my throat felt clogged. Students rushed to her. Another student came back with Mr. Bagniefski and a hall monitor. They looked at Molly and Jacob, then at me, the guilty one in the middle of it.

Behind me, I felt a hand on my back and another holding my arm. In my ear I heard Anubis whisper, "Whatever you do, don't look at them."

I quickly complied, no argument in my mind even if I didn't understand his instructions. I heard the two teachers come in, barking orders to stand back. Anubis gently pushed at my back urging me forward. I walked, moving to the front of the class and then around where Jacob was. There was a teacher there, but there was no reaction to my movement. He led me to the door. No one stopped us. I didn't know if they even looked at us as my eyes were glued to the floor.

We left the chaos of the classroom behind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I sat on the curb in front of a small, local grocery store two blocks from the school. I had heard ambulances wailing a street away and the sound made my legs go weak. We stopped here while I bent forward with my head between legs.

"Stay here," Anubis said. He left and I sat trying to calm my panted breathing.

All that anger I had before had turned into self-loathing. What was wrong with me? Why had I picked a fight with Jacob? Even if I believed that Jacob pushed Andrew into suicide, anything I did now was too little too late. Everything I did was too late. And now I hurt Molly, who knows how badly, and I was sure to be on my way to expulsion.

My hate for myself reached out for other things to blame myself for. It hadn't just been the incident today. I could have helped Andrew before, but I held myself back. I should have found I way to handle Jacob before. I could have kept Molly out of it and she would be okay. And now I would be expelled. What will that do to my aunt and uncle. I was already burdening them. Now I would become a greater burden on their lives and their marriage.

Anubis sat down next to me. He handed me a cold water bottle dripping in cold sweat. I took it from him and practically chugged it, then coughed as I choked from drinking too quickly.

"Not so fast. Small sips," Anubis said.

I took my time to clear my throat. I stopped coughing, and stared down at the asphalt, the water dripping off the water bottle.

"Have you ever felt like everything is your fault?" I asked. "Like no matter what, you always end up screwing up in the end?"

"I… don't know if I have ever felt that before."

I turned to look at him. He looked a bit confused, but mostly sad. And empty.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. If I were alone, I would be bawling into pillow. I could feel the sobs in the back of my throat but I held them there. I didn't want to cry in front of Anubis. I wished that I could fade into the pavement.

"Is there anything I can do?" Anubis asked.

I didn't look at him. I merely continued to hold my head in my hands.

"I don't know. Just, talk about something."

"Talk about what?"

"Anything. Umm… tell me about how your heart came to be in jars."

And he did. He said his last memory from having a heart was in 1894. He remembered having to come to this country more than usual. There was a depression that brought up the death rate. He remembered he came to the country to talk to someone. He doesn't remember who. He doesn't remember anything else than that. His next memory was of sitting on the floor with his heart gone.

"Do you know who took your heart then?" I asked.

"I didn't at first. It was a few decades before Nephthys came forward and confessed she did it."

"Who's Nephthys?"

"My mother."

I gaped. I couldn't remember her from the stories my parents told me, so I had no idea what kind of goddess she was.

"Why… why would she do that to her own son?"

"I don't know."

Anubis looked sad staring down at his hands. For a moment, he reminded me of Andrew. The thought tugged at my heart.

Anubis continued. He said when his mother admitted to stealing his heart, he found out his heart had been cut into twelve pieces, placed in canopic jars, and spread across the world. One jar remained with Nephthys, his strongest emotions she had told him, and she would return it when he found the other eleven.

He never searched for them. He could feel nothing without his heart and felt no reason to search for the jars. He said the first jar he found was by accident. The emotion it gave him was desire, and for the first time he wanted to find the other pieces of his heart. Later he found the piece of his heart that allowed him to feel confused. He began to wonder why he had his heart taken and had to go on this long journey to recover the pieces. He never got his answers.

Then there was the heart in the jar my parents owned. That piece gave him his sadness. And then I had given his happiness yesterday.

"I like that emotion," he said. "I like feeling happy, but for some reason I can't bring myself to feel happy right now."

"Emotions are hard to control," I said in an undertone.

I could feel his eyes on me but I didn't look back. "I suppose so," he said.

At this moment, I would give anything to be like Anubis and not feel the horrible guilt that invaded my thoughts. I felt terrible for feelings this way. I deserved to feel terrible after what had happened. But from what I could tell, Anubis didn't deserve to feel emptiness. He hardly seemed like a god, but a boy who was broken. And when he reached his hand out to me for help, I refused. My selfishness had no limit.

"Would you like me to get you something to eat?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I'm not hungry." I stood up and looked in the direction of the school. I could see the street that ran in front of it. There was a police car there.

Anubis was stood up beside me. "Are you ready to go back to the school then?"

"I don't think I'm going back," I said, my mind made up on what I wanted to do. "Could you come to my house again, like yesterday?"

He thought for a second. "I still have one more thing to do at the school. I'll come over when I finish."

"What are you even doing at my school?" I asked.

He shrugged. "A favor. And you left your bag behind again."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My bedroom was dark except for the light from the window when Anubis came into the room with me. I let him in through the front door this time since no one was home. Anubis was quick to notice the duffel bag nearly full of clothing and other things.

"Packing." It wasn't a question. Yet he still looked at me with interested eyes waiting for an explanation.

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I'm going with you."

His expression slackened. His eyes looked like black holes despite their brown color. He seemed to shake himself out of the moment of lapse and took a seat where he sat yesterday. He scratched his head staring intently at my bag.

Finally he said, "I don't think this is right."

"I'm giving you what you want. Why protest?"

"I just… I think you're doing this because of something else. Something to do with today. I don't understand why, it's just…" He sighed deeply running his palm across his eyebrow. "I get the feeling you are running away."

"I'm not running away," I explained. "It's the opposite. I'm doing this because I don't want to run away." My voice started to shake, but I pressed forward. "I can't get out of my mind how different it would be if I had chosen to do something before. Andrew wouldn't have died, Molly would be okay, I wouldn't be expelled - "

"They won't expel you," Anubis interrupted.

"Whatever they decide to do to me! I deserve to be expelled. But I'm done being selfish. I'm not running away. You say I'm the only one who can help you, right? Then that's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to make any more choices I'll hate myself for later."

"Have you considered what you're deciding? It will be dangerous."

"That's fine. I'll be careful." I shook my head. "I really don't get you. It's almost like you're trying to dissuade me."

"I want to be sure you're coming because you want to," Anubis said.

"I do," I replied firmly. He nodded. The room went quite. Anubis stared blankly at the wall in thought. Everything I wanted to take was in my bag so I sat quietly on my bed. I eventually worked up the courage to ask, "Why did you save me?"

Anubis regarded me. "I didn't want you to get in trouble. That would have made things very complicated."

"Not about today. Why did you save me that night you took my parents' canopic jar?"

Anubis frowned. "I didn't know it was going to happen. There are some gods with the ability of foresight, but I am not one of them. I hadn't even realized you followed me until I heard the explosion."

"Then it was just a coincidence?" I whispered.

"There are no coincidences," Anubis replied firmly. "Something greater than both of us was at work. That is why you survived that night."

I stared into my lap. I wasn't sure if I could believe Anubis. What force was greater than a god?

"Do you know what you will do about your family?" Anubis asked.

"I don't think I should stay here for them to come home. They'll probably want to know why I skipped school and I don't think I can lie to them."

"Then how about your name?"

"What about my name?".

"Names hold power. It is common for us to have two names, a true name and a lesser name, as it is dangerous for another god to know your true name. You will have to leave your name behind as well."

"Do you even know my name?" I asked realizing he never asked me about it.

"It is better for me to not know, but you should think of another name to use from now on."

"I don't know…" I muttered. "Anubis is your lesser name, right?"

"No," he replied. I looked puzzled, to which he said, "Anubis is a name the Greeks gave to me. I grew fond of the name, so I use it instead. I don't much like my lesser name, anyhow."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Do you know what lesser name you will use?"

Anubis was deliberately changing the subject, but I didn't object. I honestly didn't have a clue about a new name I could use.

"Could you choose one for me? I don't think I'll come up with anything."

"I'm not good with foreign names."

It felt odd that I hadn't considered him as being foreign to my country. "I don't care if it's Egyptian. Whatever you think suits me best is fine."

He nodded agreeing to my request. I slung my bag over my shoulder. "I'm ready to go. There's just one more place I want to go first."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It only took twenty minutes to get to Brookside Cemetery by foot. The lot wasn't large. It sat on a corner of an intersection at the edge of a small neighborhood. This area gets little traffic and there aren't any close businesses nearby. I had visited this cemetery many times. Anubis had followed behind me as I led him here, but now he walked past me.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

He didn't respond, navigating around the graves like he was familiar with the place. The air of the cemetery seemed to cling to him. As he walked, the shadows of the gravestones leaned towards him as he passed. Perhaps it was because I was human that I hadn't thought about the power Anubis possessed. In this moment, though, I could feel it all around me. Everything here seemed to center on him.

I caught up to him. He was standing in front of my parent's tombstone. "How did you know?"

"I am the god of cemeteries. I know my own land."

"I thought you were the god of the dead?" I asked.

"I am. I'm also the god of funerals, god of embalming, and god of canines." He shrugged. "They're just titles. It's not really important."

I stepped forward and knelt in front of their gravestone. Both their names were engraved on the same stone side by side. The grass had long ago grown back over the mound they were buried. On some occasions I would talk to them as though they were here with me, and others I would just look on in silence. This was one of those times that I stayed silent. I had nothing to say. I just wanted to be here one more time, knowing it would be a long time before I could come back again. I sat silently for a long time. When I was ready to leave, I whispered, "Goodbye," and went to Anubis.

"I'm ready," I said.

He nodded. "You will be leaving much behind. Do you promise to stay by my side until my heart is whole again?"

"I promise."

He smiled. "Then I give you this name with the hope that you will always stay loyal to me. In return, I promise to keep you and your true name safe." He laid his hand on my shoulder. "From today on, I name you Faithful. I name you Nakia."


	4. Pit Stop in the Duat

**Chapter 4: Pit Stop in the **_**Duat**_

When we left the cemetery, we continued walking down a street that took us outside of town. I didn't know where we were going, but the more we walked, the farther away we got from civilization. I wondered if that was the point.

"So…" I started, "how are we going to get around?"

"We'll be using a boat."

"But there isn't any water here."

He shook his head. "We don't need water."

It didn't take long for me to see what he meant. The air in front of us began to ripple. It reminded me of how a hot summer's day can make the air twist and turn around things far away. Only there was a cool breeze today, and it was the air close to us that was turning into a waterless stream. In the distance, a black shape was coming towards us, traveling through the air. I could make out the shape as it got closer. The ends of the boat were curved upward making it the shape of a crescent moon. On the side the wood had a painting of the Eye of Horus.

As impressive of an entrance this boat made, it wasn't that large. It was probably larger than a canoe, but not by much. It didn't seem like a comfortable means of travel. A car would at least have cushioning. But who am I to complain when I volunteered for this. My desire to right my past wrongs was much stronger than any qualms about discomfort.

"Does it go fast?" I asked.

"Up to 200 knots. We could probably get to the other side of the country in a day."

"That's… really impressive."

Anubis took my bag from my shoulder. "Come on aboard. I'll show you around."

"That shouldn't take too long," I replied. When Anubis approached the boat, it sunk closer to the ground to make it easier to board. He climbed on and completely vanished. I froze. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to happen or not. Seeing people vanish in thin air was something that would take me a while to get used to. I took a deep breath and swung my leg over into the boat.

The boat didn't look like the same boat I had climbed on once I was onboard. The deck I stood on was spacious. It could be on a large yacht, or maybe a small cruise ship. The architecture wasn't like any boat I had ever seen. It was a blend of old fashioned with modern, having the structure of a modern boat but built with polished wood of different kinds all around. The doors and windows were bordered with colorful textiles. It was bizarre yet beautiful at the same time.

I wondered if we had somehow transported to some other boat somewhere. Looking around, though, our surrounding was still the deserted road we had walked down. Anubis was next to me unfazed by any of this. He stared intently down the deck. In the direction og his gaze came a black and white shape.

"You have a pet dog?"

"He's more of a friend than a pet," Anubis replied.

The dog was a shaggy-haired border collie. He was ecstatic as dogs get. He immediately jumped up to me, barking and trying to lick my face. I hadn't felt how heavy my heart was until this dog's infectious joy lifted that weight. I instantly loved the dog and began scratching behind his ears.

"This is Paws," Anubis said beside me. "Paws, this is Nakia. She will be traveling with us from now on." Paws trotted around us barking at the news.

"How did you two become friends?" I asked.

"Paws was a stray I encountered three years ago. I noticed that he was more intelligent than most dogs I meet, so I decided to employ him."

"Employ him for what?"

"He drives the boat."

Anubis turned to Paws, as though dogs driving boats was normal. "Why don't you take us to another town in the area while I show Nakia around; someplace that isn't east of here." Paws barked and ran back the way he came. I stood as I watched him vanish around the corner.

"Does he really know how to work this boat?"

"Of course. He's a talented navigator. Come on." He walked with my bag still hanging from his shoulder and waved for me to follow him.

"You don't have to show me around right now," I said to him. "Could you just take me to what room I'll be staying in?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My room wasn't too lavish which I was thankful for. Walking through the living quarters to get to the floor below I saw enough to know this place looked like those homes you see on the cover of magazines. Except this was a boat, though I suppose this would be my home now.

My room was an ocean teal. It had a queen size bed, a side table with a lamp, a dresser, closet, and connected bathroom. It was rather bare and I left my duffel bag on the floor to mess with latter. I climbed in to the bed and tugged at the sheets until they no longer had that newly-made-bed feel.

The sheets were soft. Egyptian cotton would be a given. They were probably made in Egypt too and not just given that name. It could have been my imagination, but they smelled earthy like sand with a taste of salt water. Even the bed covers were telling me I had been swept away into an ocean.

I wasn't tired, though I feigned it to Anubis. I had just run away from my home without saying anything to my family. There was a note on the kitchen table, but it was blank. While trying to think of something I could say to them I realized it wouldn't matter. I didn't want them to look for me, but they would. I would rather they assume I was dead and move on, but they would hold on to the hope I was alive. Leaving them a message wouldn't change that.

I hoped Molly was okay. I wondered what she would think of my disappearance. I felt a pang of guilt at thinking she would be angry enough to be glad I was gone. I didn't know how strong our friendship was. I felt like an unnecessary distraction in her life that she could easily live without. There wasn't anything that would hold our friendship together after this.

I wasn't tired, just quietly miserable.

I didn't have a good grasp of time. There wasn't a window and I had no clock. I would have to ask Anubis if he could get me one. I stared at the ceiling for a while letting the reality of where I was sink in. I still felt like if I fell asleep I would wake up in my own bedroom.

There was a knock at the door. I got out of the bed and answered the door. Predictably it was Anubis. "Could you come up on deck?"

"Sure."

Anubis didn't reply, but merely left to go back upstairs. I slipped on some shoes and followed after.

It was already dark. I was surprised so much time had already passed. Back at home my aunt and uncle would be worried that I didn't come home. Paws came scrambling to us on deck. I gave the big dog a hug and he generously licked my face.

Looking out I noticed we were by a river. Not in the river, no. That would be to boat-like for our boat. We were floating beside it.

"What are we doing here?" I asked.

"We need to switch boats."

"…Why?" I asked cautiously. It couldn't be because this boat can't float in water or something, could it?

"This boat can't take us into the _duat_. We'll need one of my boats to do that."

"Um, first, what's the _duat_? Second, I thought this was your boat."

Anubis walked over to the ledge carrying some cloth bags filled with something I couldn't see. Paws had already leaped off the boat and out of sight. It felt like the fall was too dangerous to jump off from. I was never going to get used to this.

"This boat is my brothers. There is only one boat that is allowed to sail between the Earth and the _Duat_. All other boats must stay in their respective worlds." He leaned over the ledge, dropping the bags over. He then sat on the ledge with his feet dangling in free air. "Get off the way I do and you'll see the ground before getting off." He leapt off and disappeared.

I did as he said. When I looked down at my feet over the ledge I saw that the ground wasn't far from my feet like it had looked a moment ago. It only took a small hop off the side to land in the moist grass outside. The boat looked like a long canoe again.

"This is too unreal…" I said in an undertone.

Where we were was deserted, but not too far off was a town upstream. A storm of street lights glared and reflected off the river's water. Long bridges were illuminated with red lights and small boats were dabbled here and there in the river.

Paws was with us running down the shore, turning, and running past us in the other direction. He was happy to have the space to run like crazy.

"So what's the _duat_?" I asked.

"It is the name for our underworld; the land of the dead."

"Is it really okay for me to go there? I'm not dead, you know."

"And yet you wear Osiris' amulet which is only meant for the dead. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be able to take you at all."

I reflexively felt at the bump under my shirt made by my pendant. It was said to give form to the dead. What would happen to me if I went into the _duat_ without wearing this?

Anubis walked toward the water's edge. He stood for a moment, his eyes focused just over the water. Then he lifted out his hand and a thick fog devoured the river. From the mist, a black boat sailed toward us. It was the same as the boat we were just on, except that it was bare of any decorations and was made of a dark, black wood. And it floated in the water instead of the air. Weird.

Paws bolted into the boat first which made it rock back and forth in the water. Anubis steady it and reached out a hand to me. I took it and he helped me get on. The boat didn't magically change when I entered it. It was like an ordinary boat on the inside than it was on the outside. But this was Anubis' boat while the other one belonged to his brother. I guessed Anubis wasn't the type to invest in such extravagant features as his brother, whoever he was.

When we started drifting forward through the fog, I took a glance behind me and did a double take. I wasn't sure what was behind me. It looked to me like a person made of a thin black veil that was easily transparent. It was holding onto a paddle that was steering the boat. When it turned its head in my direction I quickly whipped my head away. What I saw next quickly erased my mind of the steersman behind me.

The landscape and city nights were gone. We were no longer sailing in a river but through dark sand that was almost black. It did not hinder the boat but glided around us as though it were water. We were surrounded by thousands of doors. They floated up above and all around. They were in every direction. No matter how far I looked, they seemed to continue forever into the darkness. No door was the same. Some were simple doors like I had in my house. Others clearly came from some other century. Some weren't even doors but drapes blocking a doorway.

"We're coming up to the first one," Anubis said. I looked to see what he was talking about. In the sand ahead of us was a large, stone pedestal. On its surface were carvings of hieroglyphs. It widened out on the top to make a large, bare surface. We sailed up against it and were level with its top. Anubis grabbed a water jug and loaf of bread and set it on its top.

Suddenly, all the doors started flying before the pedestal. They were a blur in the sky as they started to collide into each other. I cupped my hand over my ears. The sound was deafening, like an explosion of wood and metal. All the doors gathered until they were all one large doorway. I let go of my ears. There was now only one door. It was very tall but, despite its great size, it was not ornately decorated. It was only a simple wooden door.

The large door slowly cracked open. From inside a stream of thousands of people came walking out onto the dark sand. There was nothing about them to suggest they were dead. They all looked like ordinary people. The only thing remarkable about them was how differently they dressed. Their clothing ranged from different countries and different eras. Yet, even if they looked like they came from prehistoric times, there were no old people. Everyone appeared to be in their prime years other than the occasional child in the crowd. It was their eyes that made them look old. Even the little children's eyes were engraved with a look that spoke of their years.

They all walked toward the pedestal and no one met my eyes. Hundreds of hands grabbed at the bread and water, but even as they would walk away with it in their hands, the food stayed on the pedestal. Our boat started to move forward and left the crowd behind us. We came to what looked like a cave the river of sand flowed into. Guarding the entrance on each side was two sphinxes. They turned their human heads toward our boat as we approached. I tried not to stare but it was hard not to. It was a bizarre sight, and much more real than the simplistic art of Egypt that represented them. Anubis gave them a nod and they turned their gazes away from us. We went into the cave, but it wasn't a cave at all. In fact, we sailed into a place identical to the one we had been in before with doors floating everywhere you looked.

We passed through two more rooms like this and went through the same routine of laying out the food, the doors crashing together into a larger one, and thousands of people coming out, hands stretching out for the offering. The doors became more elaborate, and the pedestal grew more decorated, with the last room having a golden pedestal. It was like everything was divided into different neighborhoods for the poor, middle class, and rich.

After drifting away from the golden pedestal, the path ahead was split apart. There were five doorways, each guarded by its own sphinx. We sailed straight ahead without a pause. Passing the sphinxes, Anubis said quietly, "It's easy to get lost here. Don't wonder anywhere without me."

"Trust me, I wasn't planning on it." Ahead was a magnificent entryway. Flames were blocking our way, but they instantly went out when we approached them. We stopped in front of a large staircase made of the same dark stone the sand we sailed through probably broke off from. Above I could make out large pillars all sumptuously painted with hieroglyphs and patterns. The light from within flickered here and there suggesting the movement of many people that were out of our sight. Anubis, Paws and I climbed out of the boat leaving the barely visible shadow figure inside. Instead of climbing the stairs, Anubis turned to me.

"We're going to go meet someone named Thoth. When you meet him, you need to ask him if he'll lend you his protection. We'll need it for our journey."

"What if he says no?" I asked.

"Oh don't worry," Anubis said with a grin. "He _loves_ mortals." He started up the stairs and I followed suit. At the top we were met by a grand plaza. It was enormous and filled with many gods. At the center, where you would normally expect a water fountain, a giant scale cast a shadow on us. Instead of walls there were numerous hallways lined with doors. I stuck next to Anubis not wanting to get lost.

There were so many gods. Some were standing in groups talking to one another. Others were bustling through in a hurry to get somewhere. Only half of them looked human. The other half had animal heads, ears, or tails. Eyes followed us, well mostly me, as we walked through the large room. I shrunk behind Anubis keeping my eyes to the floor. I jumped when Paws started to bark and run happily away from us.

I looked around Anubis' shoulder. At first I thought Paws was playing with a hairless lion. When they got closer to us, pouncing and snapping at each other cheerily, I noticed that its snout was long and flat like a crocodile and its skin was dark, smooth leather. The creature was the same size as Paws but not nearly as cute. Not in the slightest.

"Come here, Ammit," Anubis called. The creature complied and took pace beside him with Paws running in an excited trot beside her. I couldn't help but smile to myself at how strange of an entourage this was.

"You have quite a few pets," I said. Ammit growled at me but Anubis gave the creature a look that made it stop.

"She's a goddess, but she doesn't like to behave herself so I have to keep my eye on her. Sometimes it does feel like having a pet." Ammit made a sound that almost sounded like a 'Humph'.

We continued along, Anubis guiding us through the corridors. I tried to look around without keeping my eyes locked on anyone for too long. It was too strange, though, that all these gods that I was used to picturing with Egyptian clothes were dressed in modern clothing. Even a god with a falcon head was wearing a navy blue suit. My eyes lingered longer than they probably should have on two goddesses walking towards us in the hall. They were both very beautiful, each of them looking very Egyptian with smooth black hair and wearing elegant, modern dresses. When the taller of the two made eye contact with me, I felt like she was looking straight into me rather than at me. I quickly turned my head away blushing. No sooner had I that ahead of us there was a squeal and a crash.

The source of the noise was a small goddess standing in a pile of fallen boxes. She looked like she could be twelve years old. She had short messy hair that was black but shone green in the light. Her gold eyes looked terrified, embarrassed, and alarmed all at the same time. She started frantically picking up the boxes she had dropped. When Anubis crouched down and picked up one of the boxes for her, she squealed again.

"Ah, A-Anubis, thanks," she stammered. She was looking down, trying to hide her burning cheeks, but couldn't since she kept making quick glances at me. I started to feel very out of place. Anubis didn't seem to find her behavior abnormal. He just smiled and replied, "You're welcome. It's good to see you, Kebechet." He continued down the hallway without stopping for conversation. Kebechet's jaw dropped and she stared at his back with wide eyes as though mushrooms had started growing out of his ears. I hastily followed after Anubis leaving the staring goddess behind.

After many turns Anubis finally stopped in front of a dark, wooden door. I waited but Anubis walked straight into the room. "Shouldn't you knock first?" I asked.

"I gave up knocking centuries ago."

The room looked like an office within a library. All the walls were made of bookshelves completely filled with books. When I looked up to see how tall the shelves were I couldn't see the ceiling. The bookshelves looked to continue on forever. In the center of the room was the most cluttered desk I'd ever seen. There were piles of papers stacked over every surface. They were stacked so high it was a wonder they didn't topple over. Behind the stacks, I was surprised to see a computer amongst the mess. Facing the monitor was a man with neatly cut brown hair. The light of the monitor reflected onto his square glasses. When we came in, he didn't move and continued to stare at his computer. Anubis approached as close as he could to the desk avoiding stacks of books and papers.

"Thoth." The man didn't look up but started typing into the barely visible keyboard. "Thoth!" He continued typing without pause.

"THOTH!"

This time he did look up, saying something in a foreign language. Swearing by the sound of it. He glanced at Anubis for a moment. Then he rested his gaze on me. I tried to pretend that I found my shoes very interesting while he stared curiously at me.

Anubis gestured to me. "Thoth, I would like you to meet Nakia. She will be accompanying me while I'm away."

I glanced up and muttered a short hello. He finally turned his gaze back on Anubis. "Is this about what Bitou told you?" he asked. Thoth's voice held a very poetic sound to it and he spoke very fluently. I had the impression that he could be very persuasive without trying to be.

"Yeah. She can sense my canopic jars," Anubis replied.

A grin slowly crept on Thoth's face as his eyes bore into mine. "Interesting," he said slowly. He made his way around his desk and approached me, navigating the crowded piles in a way only the creator could. He shook my hand with a smile. "It's nice to meet you, young lady."

"It's nice to meet you too," I responded automatically. The moment was brief, as Thoth suddenly pulled away and was so focused on Anubis now, one would think I had vanished in thin air.

"Before I forget, Anubis," Thoth said, "there is a matter that needs your attention. It would be best to go see Osiris now."

"Yeah, I better go see what she wants." As Anubis said this, Ammit started growling at a particularly large stack of books, crouching down as though she would pounce.

"_Please_ take that beast with you. The last thing I need is more ruined books." Thoth heaved a big sigh and crept back to his desk. Ammit switched targets and started growling at Thoth's retreating figure.

"Quiet," Anubis snapped. Ammit stopped growling. "I'll be a moment. Paws, stay here. Come on, Ammit." They both left, Ammit still growling at Thoth but happily trotting off. Paws whimpered at the empty doorway. I could feel for Paws. Being in the _duat_ felt much more real and ominous with Anubis gone.

"Let me guess," Thoth said and I looked to see he was now watching me intently. "Anubis brought you here so you could ask for my protection. Am I right?"

"Um, yeah. He did."

"Of course. I _am_ right 99% of the time." He stood up robustly and paced the small area behind his desk. "Lets see. I believe I kept some in the upper shelves. This will be very interesting."

Before I could ask what was interesting, Thoth disappeared. In his place was a large white bird that very much resembled a stork. The bird flapped its wings and started to fly up the shelves till it was out of sight. Paws circled the floor and barked to the unseen bird. It took me a moment to register that Thoth hadn't disappeared but had turned into the white bird. I stared up the bookshelves with Paws.

In the darkness above, the white bird returned from its depths. Then Thoth was standing before me with his hand out to me. In his palm was the same stone amulet of the bird Thoth had just turned into. "Take this. Hurry and try it on."

I took the pendant and unhooked my necklace. The light of the room glimmered on the amulet already on my chain. Thoth pointed at the necklace that was now safely around my neck. "There you are. Now, do you speak Italian?"

I cocked my head. "No…?"

"How about Japanese? Or maybe Swahili?"

"No, just English," I said shaking my head.

"Wonderful," Thoth proclaimed. "It works perfectly then."

"Because I don't speak Swahili?"

"My pendant, of course. I am the god of wisdom, but I am also the tongue of Ra. There is no language I cannot speak. Don't go taking off, or you won't be able to understand what other people are saying."

I held the pale white stone against my palm. The charm seemed so ordinary in my hand that it was hard to believe I little piece of jewelry could do so much. The silver amulet caught the light again and shined rays of light onto my shirt. "I never asked Osiris for his protection…" I said quietly.

"When it comes to him, you don't need to," Thoth replied. "There aren't many who still believe in our power. I'm sure Osiris is just happy to have some followers left. And you are on a quest to help his son recover his heart. Why wouldn't he lend you his protection?"

"I didn't know Anubis was Osiris' son."

Thoth gave me a smile that was more sad than happy. "You have much to learn," he said.

He started walking back to his desk. I sat on the floor with my back against a chair that was too stacked with books to sit in. Paws came over and settled himself against my leg. Staring at my new pendants, I suddenly felt that I really didn't know anything about this world. Even though I knew stories from what my parents had told me when I was young, it wasn't enough to know everything about the gods or how they live. I didn't even know there were so many gods. I was only familiar with about maybe ten of them, and even then I didn't know anything about them outside of the stories. And here I knew who Osiris was. I knew he was married to Isis and had a son. But I had no idea that Anubis was his son, which wasn't right. Anubis already told me Nephthys is his mother. Then how could Osiris be his father?

Thoth was right. I really needed to learn as much as I could about these gods

"Well," I heard Thoth sigh from behind his desk, "there goes another one."

I looked up and saw him fiddling with the back of his desktop computer that was hard to distinguish from the piles of paper stacked around it. With surprising force, Thoth took his keyboard and flung it across the room. I jumped. It slammed into a wall and strategically fell into a pile of other electronics. I walked over to the desk to see Thoth opening a drawer that had about five more keyboards in it.

"Umm, was there something wrong with it?" I asked him.

"The space bar was sticking," Thoth said simply, now connecting the new keyboard to the desktop.

"You know, you could have taken the keys out and tried to fix it…"

"If a pencil breaks in half, do you glue it together? No, you get a new one."

"But taking apart a keyboard is really simple - "

"The last time I tried to 'fix' one of these contraptions, it ended with a fire, foul smelling smoke and a melted milk jug."

"A melted what?"

"Since then I haven't bothered trying to fix one of these things. Contraptions made by humans are unnecessarily complicated. There's no logic to them."

"It's not that complicated…" I said in a whisper. My uncle worked with computers. He taught me a lot of things about computers to the point I can usually fix any problems that came out without having to ask him. To me, computers are everything but illogical. But I'm a human. He's a god. Our definitions of 'logic' may not be the same.

"There we are," he said with a flourish of fingers across the keyboard.

"Excuse me, but could I ask you something. That is," I said looking at the mountains of papers stacked around him, "if you're not that busy."

"Oh, this," he motioned casually to the piles and piles of papers. I couldn't help but marvel how bored he looked pointing out the papers that would have given me a heart attack. "I have an eternity to finish this. What would you like to know?"

"You said Osiris is Anubis' father, but I remember Osiris being married to Isis."

"Yes, that's true," Thoth nodded.

"And Anubis' mother is Nephthys. How… does that work?"

Thoth scratched at his neck looking lost in thought before say, "Well, you know who Nephthys is married to right?"

"Oh. No, I don't."

"Well, she's married to a god named Set."

"The evil god?" I interjected.

Thoth smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I don't know if evil is the right word, but it is in his nature to stir up trouble. Well, there was a time when Nephthys wished to have a son. Set, however, can never bear a child. Even so, Nephthys was determined and devised a plan. She changed her appearance to look identical to Isis and snuck into Osiris' bed. And her plan worked. By the time her true identity was discovered, she was already pregnant with her son."

"So that's how it happened…" I murmured. "Was Osiris angry?"

"Of course. Many were. It took a while for Osiris to get over his anger enough to recognize Anubis as his son. Isis, however, welcomed Anubis from the beginning as though he were her own son."

"She wasn't angry at all?"

"Perhaps she was, but she knew better than to hold it against Anubis. And if she was ever angry at Nephthys, I never noticed. She's too quick to forgive as always, but that is how Isis is. Anyhow," Thoth leaned against his desk, his serious demeanor completely dissipated, "that's what we know for sure happened. There may be more too it, but that would be entering the realm of speculation and theories."

"I don't need to hear the theories. You've answered my question well enough."

"How about theories over why you can sense Anubis' heart? You wouldn't happen to have any yourself would you?"

I hesitated, uncomfortable with the subject suddenly changing to being about me. "I don't know. It only started two days ago. There's really nothing special about me to explain why I can do this."

"It is most curious indeed. Could you explain how you see them?"

So, I did. I explained the green glow and the restlessness. The more I spoke, the more distant Thoth's eyes grew. When I finished, Thoth stayed silent with a face concentrated in thought. "Do you have any ideas?" I asked interrupting the silence.

"I have many. 68 to be exact. I can't decide on just one until we know more." Thoth gave me an apologetic smile. "This will have to stay a mystery for now. If it is any consolation, I do know that these things don't happen by coincidence. It is destiny that brought you here."

"Right. Well, destiny sure makes some funny choices," I remarked. I carefully leaned against the bookshelf behind me and rested my head looking into the abyss of books above us. "At least Anubis managed to find a couple of jars himself. Eight jars will be better than finding twelve. No, seven jars. Nephthys kept one of his jars."

"Yes, his greatest emotion," Thoth confirmed.

"You're a theory guy. Do you have a theory on what emotion Nephthys kept?"

Thoth nodded with an enthusiastic smile. "But of course._ I_ believe its Anubis' love she is holding and, considering my success rate, there should be no doubt that I'm right."

"His love? I know everyone says love makes the world go round, but the stories I've heard of him didn't make him out to be a romantic."

"The old stories only tell so much. Anubis is very protective and loyal. Those feelings are born from strong feelings of love and trust. If there is any part of Anubis' heart you can define him by, it is that."

"You know him better than I do," I concluded.

"You'll get to know him in time. Anything else you want to ask?"

There really wasn't much else I wanted to ask. I already felt weighed down by the weight of information he had already given me. But I didn't want to wait for Anubis in awkward silence so I asked for something silly. "What is Anubis' lesser name?"

Thoth laughed. "Oh no. I'm not going down that road."

"Come on," I egged on. "Anubis won't tell me so of course I'm dying to know."

"Exactly. If I tell you his lesser name then he'll turn around and tell you my lesser name. No deal."

"You're using a nickname too?"

"No deal," Thoth repeated.

I sighed. "Fine, I guess I have two names I need to find out."

"You are determined aren't you?" Thoth said in a serious voice that was soon ruined by the smile that crept on his face. "That's good. No magic can help you as much as your own strength of will can." After Thoth said this, Paws ran out of the room barking loudly. "He's back." Thoth went to his desk. He rummaged around in the drawers till he found a blank notecard. He wrote on it and handed it to me. At a glance I could tell instructions were written on it. "If you ever need me, go to the closest library and ask for Seshat. She can always get in contact with me."

"If you go to the library and start ripping books, Thoth will come immediately in person."

Anubis was leaning against the doorway. I only saw him a moment when Thoth quickly grabbed a stapler off his desk and lunged it at Anubis. It hit him straight on his head and then clattered onto the floor. Anubis bent over rubbing his head. "Ow!"

"So it was you!" Thoth seemed an extra feet tall in his anger as he shouted. "I will have you know that your brother thought it would be fun to blow up three shelves of books to test this theory! Three shelves! As soon as I show up you know what he does? He laughs in my face! He starts carrying on, saying 'It's true! He really will show up!' And then he flies off leaving me with a mess of destroyed books and alarmed mortals! I can't believe…"

"It wasn't me," Anubis said calmly.

"What?" Thoth exclaimed taken aback.

"I didn't tell him," Anubis continued. "Horus was the one who told me about it."

"Little Horus?" Thoth asked.

"Yeah."

"That child!" Thoth hissed the words as though they were a swear word. "Then who was the one who told him?"

Anubis ruffled his hair still rubbing his head. "I don't know. It may have just been an excuse so you wouldn't know it was his idea. It sounds like something he would do."

"That child!" Thoth hissed again. As Thoth continued mumbling profanities to himself, Anubis made his way to me. "Did you get the amulet." I pulled my necklace from under my shirt as a response. "Good. We should be ready then. Thoth?"

Thoth stopped his muttering and seemed to snap out of his angry state. "Ah, yes. You are leaving I presume."

"We need to get started with our search. Let me know if Kebechet needs my help."

"Don't worry about that. She's been very enthusiastic about her new responsibilities." Thoth walked to us and shook my hand. "It was very nice meeting you, Nakia. You have many hardships ahead of you, but as long as you trust Anubis you should be fine. Also, keep in mind that Anubis' new emotions are strongest when he first receives them." Thoth gave Anubis a grin as though he was remembering a funny memory, but Anubis' face stayed placid. "Be careful of that. Well, be on your way. Tell your brother he will face my wrath when we meet again," Thoth said to Anubis. Anubis cracked a small smile at this remark. "As he usually does."

Suddenly, Thoth's warm face became serious and still as he stared at Anubis. "He smiles…" He quickly maneuvered back to his desk and started opening his drawers. "He finally smiles. We have to commemorate this moment!"

For a second we stood watching Thoth scouring his desk, confused at what he was talking about. There was a second where Thoth found what he was looking for and I saw a digital camera in his hand. Anubis quickly grabbed my wrist and started dragging me out of the room.

"Wait," I heard Thoth's voice calling from behind us. "I just want one picture. It will only take a second!"

His voice faded into silence as Anubis had us almost jogging away from his office. When we got to the wide plaza, he finally slowed down. I thought about asking if he was camera shy, but I just didn't feel like now was an appropriate time to ask.

We made our way down the stairs back to the boat we took here. The shadow figure was waiting where it had been before and I tried not to stare. Paws jumped quickly into the boat, making it rock heavily in the sandy river. Anubis swung one leg into the boat to try and steady it. He held out his hand to me, "Ready to go?"

I nodded and took his hand. We sailed through the river of black sand out of the _duat_ into the real world.


	5. Anubis Swims with Piranhas

**Chapter 5: Anubis Swims with Piranhas **

Coming up with a plan on where to travel ended up being more difficult than I thought it would be. Anubis, Paws and I were gathered in the bridge, standing around the large map of the world. Right now the map was only covered in black tacks so that we could see the rest of the countries. Anubis was running a finger from the point we were at on the Mississippi to the west but I shook my head. "We can't stay in America. My aunt and uncle have probably already called the police. They'll be looking for me." I pointed my finger to the east at the islands marked as Ireland and United Kingdom. "Why don't we start here and work our way through Europe?"

It was Anubis' turn to shake his head. "We can't travel east. We can probably risk going south-east, but east and north-east are out of the question."

"Why not?" I was wondering what sort of superstition Anubis had with going east.

"Remember when I told you there is only one god who is angry with me?" I nodded. "His name is Duamutef. He is a god of the east. Since he's mad at me, he will not allow me to travel east easily."

My finger slowly dragged back to where it came from. "What did you do to make him mad?"

"No idea." We continued staring at the map. There weren't many options when excluding a whole coordinal direction. We were already too west to search Canada without having to leave part of it unexplored. Mexico was an option, but even being in a bordering country made me nervous. _Could I be spotted there? _I wasn't sure. As I looked over the continent, my eyes strayed further south.

"You said south-east is still okay, right?" I asked.

"Yeah. At least Imset still likes me. He won't let Duamutef interfere if we go in his general direction."

"Then why don't we start in South America." I ran my finger in a diagonal line till I reached the most eastern point in Brazil. "We start here and then just travel till we've covered the whole continent." My finger ran an up and down zigzag till it ended in Peru. "How's that sound? Or will we be going too far east to get to Brazil?"

Anubis' finger retraced the path I made. "I think we're far enough north that we should be able to make it there. Did you hear that Paws?"

_Woof!_ Paws rounded to the steering wheel. He started turning the wheel with his mouth, covering it with slobber and adding new bite marks to the wood. It was a four day trip and most of it we would be traveling over the ocean. We made another stop at a grocery store to stock up as much as we could for the trip. Walking through the whole store I kept my head down to keep my face from being captured by the security cameras. We left the store with a cart over heaping with food as well as cooking magazines and puzzle books.

Not only was traveling in a floating boat a new experience, but I also had to adjust to living with no technology to entertain myself with and living with a roommate. It was great to have Paws to play with. The first day of our travel I spent two hours playing with him on the deck. After so many games of catch, tug-a-war, and just chasing each other, I was wiped. Anubis raised his eyebrows at us when we came in both panting for breath. "Looks like I'm going to be replaced as Paws' best friend."

I slept hard that evening. The next morning I stood in the shower for a long time just enjoying the hot steamy water. After the past two days, it had become a lot easier to except the new changes my life had taken. After leaving the _duat_, I knew there was no way I could live the life I had before. The world I lived in had changed completely. Now my world seemed to be filled with gods I used to fantasize about when I was young. Going to school and having a career was no longer something that I could see myself doing anymore. It was too… human. Even if I am still a human, my life was too wrapped up with the workings of the gods now.

I stepped out of the shower trying to find a towel when I saw a pair of copper eyes. I froze, shocked and embarrassed. Anubis stood up from where he had been searching the cabinets and looked at me with blank eyes.

"Do you need…"

"GET OUT!"

I pushed Anubis by his shoulders. I caught him off guard enough that I was able to push him completely out of the room and slam the door shut. I sank onto the floor with my back to the door. The floor was freezing under my bare skin. My whole body was flushed and shaking, and I didn't know if it was from the steamy shower or my recent encounter. But my thoughts were screaming in my head. _What have you gotten yourself into, Malinda? Not only did I run away from home, but now I'm living with a boy who doesn't know what personal boundaries are!_

Outside I heard Paws making a sort of laughing sound at Anubis. "I don't get it," I heard Anubis' muffled voice say to Paws. My embarrassment and anger diminished a little bit. When I thought about it, Anubis probably didn't know how to be embarrassed. It was just one of the many pieces missing in his heart. But even my sympathy couldn't sooth my rapidly pounding heart and flustered mind. Once I felt that my breathing was finally steady, I stood and got myself dressed.

I felt like a thief peaking around the doors and moving slowly through the boat. It was easy to feel like a thief too since I still wasn't used to living in such a beautiful place. My face never lost its redness in the steamy bathroom. Even if it was from the heat, it kept reminding me of the moment before and fueled me desire to avoid Anubis.

No one was in the bottom floor when I came out. I easily sneaked by the bedrooms and started up the stairs. Every creak in the floorboards sent a jolt down my spine. At the top I could hear Paws playing with a squeak toy in the living room. I carefully slipped into the kitchen as silently as a whisper.

It was a great distraction, making breakfast. I had already mastered the use of the fire oven. While I had a skillet heating within it I pulled out bacon and eggs. I was busy whisking away at the eggs when two pairs of eyes came up from under the counter. For no reason at all, my heart started speeding up and the redness colored my face. I buried myself in preparing the eggs. Then a tugging and ripping sound came from beside me. I looked over.

"Unless you're going to help me cook, don't get into the bacon."

"Why are you cooking them? They're fine the way they are." As though to prove his point, Anubis pulls out a slice of raw bacon and tears a piece off it. A rush of disgust and anger overcame me. I quickly snatched the bacon from him.

"Hey! I already have to watch you eat your own organs. Stay out of the raw meat until I've cooked them!"

"They're better without the fire," Anubis replied, but obediently left with a putout Paws trailing behind him. I sighed and continued cooking.

Small moments happened like this through our trip. It was trivial, getting used to living with someone I barely knew, but it helped us know each other. At our breakfast Anubis said that my perfectly cooked bacon tasted burnt. I started cooking Anubis' food at medium rare. I showed him the puzzle books that I had bought. When he complained that the crossword's boxes were too small, I looked over and saw that he had scribbled hieroglyphs in them. I lent him my Sudoku book and did mostly crosswords. There was a wall, though. No matter how much I tried to get along with him, I could never shake off the thought that I couldn't truly know him if he only shows a small fraction of his emotions.

After four days of traveling, we finally made it to land. Our first stop was Natal, Brazil. Coming out of the boat, I felt like I had jumped into a postcard from Cancun. The ocean was vast and blue. The pale beach was covered with tourist in bikinis and trunks. In the distance, skyscrapers rose into the sky. I inhaled the salty air. I had only once been to the ocean, and it wasn't as clear and beautiful as this one. But I still preferred the ocean I went to when I was younger. This one seemed too perfect that made it feel artificial. The ocean I remember had a deep sea green color and the sand was the color of, well, sand. And, most of all, my parents were in those memories. No, this beach couldn't compare.

Behind me, Anubis and Paws were coming out of the boat. I wondered if our boat alarmed anyone, but people kept walking past it as though it weren't there. Apparently it was invisible to them.

"We're just stopping to stock up on the things we need," Anubis said. "We can stay here for a while if you want, but I know some more impressive beaches than this one."

I shook my head, suddenly remembering the agreement I made to visit tourist sites. "I'm not interested in resorts. Beaches are everywhere. I want to see places like stone hinge and the great wall. And, of course, we have to see the pyramids. I bet you have some great stories about those," I said cocking an eyebrow.

Anubis grinned and nodded, but said nothing. We had to be careful walking up the beach and into town. The pools and sidewalks meant we were really at a resort, and we had no bracelets to show we were supposed to be there. Moreover, we had a dog with us and I didn't think people brought their pets with them very often. When I thought we were almost out, a pool boy holding a plate of cocktails stopped us. At first his angry face made me feel sure he was going to bust us. Then his face quickly slackened and he beamed at us. "Would you like a drink?" he asked.

"No thanks," we mumbled in unison. He walked off as soon as he came. "What was that?" I asked Anubis.

He tugged on the chain hanging from his neck. "Ma'at," he replied.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." I looked down at the charm of a feather hanging from his necklace. "What do you have to do to get one of those?"

"You don't need one," he said simply. When I gave him a confused look, he continued. "You won't need one as long as I have one. We could try and get you Ma'at's amulet, but you may not survive the experience." He gazed at me with the same intense stare he gave me when I had his canopic jar. It was enough to frighten me from asking anything else about it.

When we got into town, the scent of the ocean was invaded by another smell. My stomach growled when I took in the smell of the restaurants we were pacing. They were very simple stands with stools you can walk up to and order without leaving the street. Some of them were flashier for the tourists, but my eye caught the small stands being run by older women who looked like she had generations of family recipes at use.

"How about lunch first?" I asked. Anubis nodded and I directed us to the stall where the old woman was chopping beef into thin slices. Paws started barking when we approached the vendor. I looked over just in time to see him dart down the street. He was barking his head off as he ran, making the other people on the street leap out of his way as he barreled past. I started to go after him, but Anubis' hand stopped me. "Go ahead and order. I'll get him."

With Anubis running after him, I had no choice but to sit and wait for him to come back. The old woman smiled at me when I sat down. "What will you have, Miss?" she asked.

I was struck by how well she spoke English, but I was still distracted by Anubis' disappearance. I didn't even bother to look over the menu. "Just two of your most popular dish, please."

The woman chuckled. "My, you speak Portuguese very well."

I raised my eyebrows. "Sure… I mean, yes. I do. Thank you." I had forgotten all about Thoth's amulet till now. Suddenly it became obvious that everyone here shouldn't all be speaking English even though that's all I heard. The old woman started working busily over a pot full of a savory smelling stew. I sat back on my stool, twisting the seat back and forth.

As I waited, another man came to sit next to me. I saw a flash of blonde hair and knew it wasn't Anubis. Instead of choosing from the many empty seats, he sat in the seat directly next to me. I felt uncomfortable, but tried to act like I wasn't and just stared at an empty spot on the counter. "Well, aren't you pretty," said the man next to me.

I looked over to see who this guy was talking to, only to find him staring directly at me. If the dictionary ever needed a definition for arrogance, they would only have to put a picture of this guy's face in it. He had a smirk that screamed 'I am the greatest person alive and I know it too'. It was enough to make me want to punch him just for smiling like that. It took another second to see the face behind the expression. He was beautiful, which made me dislike him even more. His blue eyes were like ice, so pale that they were almost white. Even his hair was pale and only the sun hinted at it being blonde instead of white.

Whatever face I was making, it only served to broaden his smirk. "What big eyes you have," he said. Normally I would have found the comment flattering if this guy wasn't such a jerk. I acted like I didn't find his compliment impressive and replied, "All the better to see you with."

"Obviously," he replied back with heavy sarcasm in his voice. I was incensed at the nerve of this guy and wanted nothing more than for him to leave.

"If you're trying to pick me up or something, you're doing a horrible job at it," I spat at him.

His laugh was light but had the same effect as nails to a chalkboard. "What made you think I would be interested in _you_. I only came while following a rumor I heard." He leaned closer to me, as though he knew that I was repulsed just by him sitting next to me. "They say a mortal came into the _duat_ while they were still alive. That's never happened before. I had to see this for myself. And who do I find but a naïve girl who sees too much."

My heart stopped when I took in his words. This person wasn't just an arrogant jerk, but he was a god. My mind froze, and I only stared back at him wide-eyed. Pleased by my reaction, he pressed on. "Did you have fun running around in our underworld? Do you think yourself special because you're the only mortal to visit the _duat_ and live to tell the tale?"

"I never thought that. I only went because Anubis brought me there."

His eyes narrowed at the mention of Anubis' name. "Is that so? How heartless of him," he said with a snear. I don't know what emotion rose into me, but I abruptly stood from my seat and glared hatefully at him.

The man cackled a laugh at my response. "Touchy, touchy. What do you think you're going to do, hmm?"

I slowly sunk back into my seat. He was right, no matter how much I hated to admit it. What could I possibly do against a god? After I was back in my seat, the man leaned over to look around my shoulder. "Speaking of Barker, it looks like the dogs are coming back." He stood and gave an over exaggerated bow. "It was a pleasure meeting you, _Nakia_." Before I could ask where he found out my name, he was already leaving, holding my gaze until he was swallowed by the crowd.

On cue, Anubis and Paws returned. Paws came trotting with a large, dead bird in his mouth. "Is that a seagull?" I asked.

Anubis nodded. "It had a broken wing and Paws spotted it right away. It was going to die anyway. Now we don't have to feed him."

Paws laid the dead bird at my feet and wagged his tail waiting for my praise. I shook my head. "I'm never going to catch a break," I muttered. With the encounter of the god of arrogance and a warm plate of beef stew and rice in front of me, I didn't pay much mind to the crunching of bird bones from below us. I already felt worn out from today's ventures and couldn't wait to finish our business here and be on our way. But, in the back of my mind I couldn't keep this question out of my head and I didn't know why.

_How did that bird break its wing?_

* * *

It was a week later that I felt it. My stomach twisted with anxiety. My fingers started to tap rapidly and I couldn't stay sitting. I bolted from my seat and went straight to the deck.

The air outside was humid and wet. We hadn't left Brazil yet. We had to travel in tight zigzags because neither of us knew how much range my GPS has. For the longest time our boat drifted through desert land that was scattered with green plants as though the desert didn't even know how to be a desert. Since yesterday the terrain turned into rainforest. I spent much of the past day observing the large, wild forest, catching sight of tropical birds and monkeys jumping through the trees. For the moment, I couldn't look for those things. I closed my eyes and looked around me till I saw it. There in the distance was a small green glimmer.

I ran to the bridge where Anubis was spending his time with Paws. My sudden nerves made me slam the door open. They both stopped whatever they were doing to stare at me. "I see one," I said as soon as I came in.

Without a word, Anubis jumped up immediately and went straight to the world map. He marked our current location with a blue pin. "Which direction is it?" he asked.

I closed my eyes and looked again. I pointed directly where I saw the faint glow. "I don't know what direction that is, but it's that way." Paws immediately went to work redirecting the boat. The boat drifted into the direction the green light was. Even if it was from the rush of adrenaline, I couldn't help but be excited. It has only been two weeks yet we have a canopic jar in sight. I was relieved too. In the back of my head, I was having doubts that I wouldn't be any help. _What if it was a fluke? What would I do if we sailed around the world and I didn't see any jars?_ It has been my greatest fear. One that I didn't have to worry about anymore.

We had to prepare before we got to the jar's location. I went into my room and changed into light-weight clothes. I was worried about wearing shorts and having my legs exposed. As I pulled on my pants, my uncle's voice spoke from a distant memory. _'Those pants don't look very sturdy. Are sure you want those? You don't have to pick out the cheapest ones.'_ I suppressed the memories and focused only on tying my boot laces. Those memories weren't helpful right now.

It took five hours to reach the spot, which was both wonderful and agonizing. It was good to know that my GPS or whatever it is has such a wide range. We were traveling faster than we usually did and it still took some time to get there. But the _wait_! I had that psychotic anxiety that couldn't keep me in one place for two seconds. I paced and paced. Anubis and Paw's eyes followed me, probably questioning my sanity. But the worst part was that there was nothing to do but wait till we got there. I was dying for something to keep me busy. Even filing my teeth on a cheese grader would feel more rewarding than waiting. I'd happily do it if it meant I wouldn't have to endure this.

When the time came and my sensibility had poured slowly out of me like sand in an hourglass, I could see the green glow coming closer. Finally! I tied a bandana over my eyes to keep them closed.

"We're close," I said.

"Slow down, Paws." From the corner of my eye I could see Anubis appraising me. "Why the blindfold?"

"Just easier to keep my eyes closed." I never looked at Anubis as I spoke, my eyes intent on our goal.

The boat glided closer. As the glowing grew brighter, the monotonous landscape revealed a break ahead. It was as though the rainforest had a scar running through it where the trees didn't grow. Once we were closer, the break revealed a long, wide river running through the forest. I gasped.

"Oh no," I whispered.

"What's wrong?" Anubis asked, no hint of emotion in his tone.

"The jar is in the river."

* * *

"What's the point of having a boat if you don't use it in water?" I grumbled.

We were sailing the Amazon River. When our own perfectly capable boat came to a stop at the riverbed, Anubis disembarked on his insane search for another boat we could sail in. The whole time I tried to make him hear reason that just because our boat is always sailing in the air doesn't mean it can't do the same in water. No matter how much I explained, questioned and, eventually, complained, Anubis didn't say a word. He did find what he wanted. Some ways up the river were wooden boats filled with nets and spears. Before I could throw a new complaint about stealing, Anubis grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me into the boat. As I opened my mouth to retaliate, he had the boat off the banks and sailing down the river.

Any excitement I may have had before was now diminished. Now I was irritated. Even though Anubis' annoying silence was the largest reason for my mood, it wasn't the only thing. The weather here was getting to me. The humidity was so thick I was practically breathing water. My clothes were moist and clung uncomfortably to me. It felt like I had dunked my boots in the river before putting them on. Add to that the sun burning every exposed part of my body and you get one seriously moody, teenage girl.

I was glaring at Anubis with my arms crossed over my chest. I expected him to ignore my question just as he had with all the ones before. He surprised me when he turned around. I don't know why I expected an unemotional face. Maybe it was all the long hours I had seen him stare blankly into space. I couldn't say I was used to it, but it bothered me for reasons other than how creepy it looked. But now he looked, was it excitement? Eagerness? It was familiar yet completely new. It had taken me aback.

The look faded some as he seemed to ponder my question. "It was part of the conditions for borrowing the boat. I can't sail it in water. I'm also not allowed to damage it, cover it in graffiti, re-decorate or rearrange the rooms, store it in one place for a long period of time, or touch anything in the lower deck."

"The other conditions seem somewhat reasonable, but I still don't get what is so wrong with using a boat for what it's made for."

Anubis shrugged, turning his eyes to the rainforest. The boat was gliding through the water with no help from us. Probably another of Anubis' parlor tricks. I kept my eyes on the green glow ahead, ignoring as best I could the strange sensation of seeing with a blindfold on. We were getting closer now. I made my way carefully to the front of the boat doing my best not to trip on any of the nets. I may still have been able to see, but the lack of color made some things harder to make out.

"We need to go right some," I instructed. The boat obeyed. Anubis' eyes were focused in our new direction, trying to see the jar invisible to him.

"Stop," I commanded softly. We came to a halt, the jar directly below us. Now that we were here I could only think one thing.

_Now what?_

That was when a shirt landed on the bench next to me. I turned around to see Anubis taking his shoes off.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get the jar."

"You can't just jump in there! I've heard horror stories about this river. The water is infested with parasites that will get inside you and make you ill."

"I'll be fine," he said showing no concern.

"Can't you just do some hocus-pocus to get the jar out?"

"Nope." Without another word he dived straight into the water.

"Be careful…" I muttered. If I was anxious before it was nothing to how I felt now. Maybe it was because I had nothing to do but wait until Anubis came back. Or it could be having to sit still and try not to rock the boat too much. That certainly did take a lot of will power. Despite all that, something about this river made me very uneasy. I couldn't shake off this feeling that someone was watching us from the depths of the shaded forest around us.

It had been about thirty seconds since Anubis jumped in that I saw the jar move. It moved suddenly, as though something jerked it. Then it drifted slowly to a stop, moving farther away from the boat. My heart started racing wildly and I rubbed my hand together till they felt raw. I couldn't see anything happening in the river. The water was too murky. It was unsettling, the silent peace on the boat knowing something bad was happening below me. I focused on the jar as well as keeping myself from jumping in the river. Like I would be of any help.

A sharp gasp escaped me when the boat suddenly tilted to one side. I turned at the splashing behind me. Anubis was pulling himself onto the boat, but he wasn't alone. All over his body were red and grey fish clinging to him by their mouths. It took me a moment to figure out why he was bleeding all over. Even when I saw the teeth in the jaws of the fish it took a second for my mind to make since of it. Then it clicked. _They're piranhas._

When Anubis managed to get himself entirely in the boat, he vanished. In his place was a large, deep tan dog with black markings on its ears, back and tail and covered with piranhas. It was the dog of my childhood. The one I chased after. Even when Anubis had said he was the dog I was surprised to see this dog again.

The dog was frantically biting at the piranhas. There was a sound of crunching when his muzzle met with one of the fish. He kept ripping them off, taking large chunks of fur and flesh with it. The piranhas thrown to the floor laid motionless, silent, but the dog kept growling and snarling, yelping when he ripped another jaw out of his skin.

The bottom of the boat was full of mangled fish bodies with blood seeping from their mouths. The dog was frantically pawing at his head now, the last piranha latched onto his long ear. I made my hands unclench and moved closer to the dog. My move jostled the boat. The dog's eyes caught mine and a sharp growl escaped him. I stopped a moment but didn't stop my approach. He wasn't angry. Any hurt animal would react that way.

"Don't you growl at me. I'm gonna get the piranha off your ear."

His eyes focused on me, unmoving and controlled. He laid his head down, whimpering as he did. I tripped on a rope as I climber over the benches to him. I caught myself, and the dog flinched. The jaw of the fish would not budge. Trying to keep his ear in one piece, I tightened my fist around the fish's head trying to break its jaw. With a sickening crack, I felt the fish's grip loosen beneath my hand. I gently pulled the fish off his ear.

"Anubis?" I whispered lightly petting him on his head, the only place not soaked in blood. He didn't respond. He only tucked his leg closer and started licking one of his wounds. I was at a loss at what to do. I didn't know any first aid. And even if I had, how would I treat a god transformed into a jackal? I wanted Anubis here, in human form, so I could ask him what we should do. Sadly, it didn't look like I would be getting that wish granted anytime soon. I had no idea how much of Anubis was still in this dog. He won't be able to help me right now.

I at least decided on one thing. We needed to get back to land. Maybe there was something in our boat that would help.

When I was about to act out on my thoughts, a thud next to my foot stopped me. I looked down, expecting with dread that a piranha was still alive and dangerously too close to my foot. Instead my eyes found a harpoon with a rope trailing behind it. The harpoon wisped away and stopped as it held tightly onto the edge of the boat. Then a wave of them came crashing into the boat, latching onto every inch of the boat's side. Gripping the dog closer to me, I saw three boats in the river across from us. Dark skin, black hair, body paint and fierce eyes were the features they all shared. I gulped as the panic started to set in and my mind screamed

_we are being captured by natives!

* * *

_

_Author's Notes: I'm so happy to finally have Anubis and Nakia out on adventures. I intentionally had them go to South America first. My father is from Paraguay so I know a bit more about this continent than other parts of the world. And I got to introduce a new god, although I won't reveal who he is for another two chapters. He's such an awesome god, though. He hardly gets any lime light so I made sure he had a very important part in this story. Anyway, I hope this was worth the wait. Would have had this up sooner if I hadn't caught the flu -.- Enjoy~_

_Oishii  
_


	6. Nakia, the Goddess of Darkness

**Chapter 6: Nakia, the (Self-Titled) Goddess of Darkness **

My hands were bound behind me, and my calves were tied together. Two guards, one male and one female, stood at either side of me. Although I was still terrified, I wasn't in full-out panic mode. I realized as they were pulling me onto their boat that I could understand them. With hope I clung to the thought that I could try and explain everything to them. On one side of my head I was praising Thoth for his wonderful, amazing amulet. On the other side I was cursing Anubis. Once he was back to his human form, I had a tirade of I-told-you-so's ready for him. _Didn't I tell you not to steal that boat? Didn't I warn you about the river? See where ignoring me got you?_ But even as I was cursing Anubis to the darkest pits of the _duat_, I couldn't keep from smiling at him in grim satisfaction. The natives have the weak human bound and guarded. But the real threat, the god of death, was laying to the side with no rope or guards to hold him back.

We came into a make-shift dock much further down the river than we had been. I was yanked into standing and the male guard cut the ropes from my feet. They shoved me out of the boat. I didn't much care how rough they were with me, but when the dog yelped in pain, I was furious.

"Don't hurt him!" I yelled. "Don't touch my friend!"

All the faces of the natives froze. From somewhere in the other boats, I thought I heard a man say, "Where did a white person learn to speak Guaraní?" The man holding the dog looked shocked, but I could tell that he was trying to be gentle with him. I felt a stab of guilt. At least until the dog jumped out of his hold and got on the dock on his own. My eyebrows dropped. _He's such a faker._

The oldest of the group, a tall man only showing slight signs of aging, approached us. He was the most lavishly adorned with beads and weaved fabric that only covered the most important areas of his body. He sized me up for a moment; his scowl seemed permanently etched into his face. He finally said, "Why do you steal our boat, girl?"

I made sure to give Anubis a glare before I answered. If only _I_ could change into an animal to escape the blame. "We needed it," I said shortly.

A man behind him burst of angrily, "You think that gives you the right—"

"Quiet," the older man said. The younger one clamped his mouth shut and continued to glare at me. "I don't know which is stranger," he said with a mocking voice, "the strange colored dog or the blindfolded girl."

I first thought, '_Anubis. He's the bigger freak show of the two._' I knew better than to say this. I didn't want them to think that Anubis was a threat. It would be better for them to keep their eyes on me.

"He's only a dog. He's very ordinary compared to me."

"Is that so?" The man casually stepped closer. "And what makes you so extraordinary?"

_Your guess is as good as mine._ "I'm a goddess." It was all I could do to keep myself from wincing at my lie. It was so horrible. But I needed his attention on me and what better way to divert attention away from a god by making myself a god instead. My panic was really killing my creativity.

His eyebrows drew up. He looked surprised, skeptic, and… he couldn't really look scared could he? "A goddess," he said carefully.

"Yes," I replied more certainly than I felt. My mind jumped to a memory of a god climbing into a bedroom window before I continued. "I am Nakia, the goddess of darkness." Now all the eyes watching me held some fear in them, but I could tell they were skeptic. Even the dog's eyes were skeptically watching me. I shot him a look I hoped said, '_Well, what else am I suppose to do?_'

"Then show us if you are a goddess," exclaimed the older man with more force than before.

I took a moment to take in all the warriors. "There are twenty-three among you. Five carry bows, twelve have spears, and six wield swords. I don't need the light to see. Could another mortal do this blindfolded?"

The natives all looked around each other confirming the calculations I had made. The man did not even glance away from me. Either he already knew the numbers of his company or he didn't want to show any sign of wavering. "And how do we know if you can see through the blindfold?"

He hit the weak point of my lie. The blindfold was slightly transparent in the bright light of the rainforest. Normally this wasn't a problem. I only needed something to cover my eyes to keep them closed. Now this fact was betraying me. There would be no way of convincing them that I was keeping my eyes closed while wearing it.

My mind was too sluggishly slow trying to think of a response. But then a multitude of gasps and shouts of astonishment pulled me out of my thoughts. Anubis stood next to me. He was almost the way I always remembered his human form to be, the exception being the blood covering his body and the dog ears poking out of his hair.

"We are both gods," he proclaimed with a strong voice I've never heard him use. All the natives now looked convinced. His voice even convinced me that I was a goddess. I had to mentally slap myself. _'Keep your head in the game_,' I thought to myself.

"You were supposed to be a dog," I whispered just loud enough for the others to overhear.

"It looked like you needed help," he said in a whisper I could barely hear.

"Please excuse our rudeness," said the converted old man. "We did not know."

"You do not need to apologize," Anubis replied, and there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief as though they had all been holding their breath till now. "You were right to be angry. We stole your boat and for that I apologize. I can promise you we had no intent of keeping it. We were in need at the time."

"Thank you for your understanding. Please allow us to make amends for this misunderstanding by coming with us to our village. We can treat your wounds and provide any accommodations that you need."

"Thank you for the offer. We would be glad to go with you," Anubis said with a warm smile. For once I was glad he ignored checking for my opinion before accepting. The conversation turned way too formal for me and we could do without me offending them again.

As the group prepared their belongings to take to their village, a young man approached me hesitantly. His eyes still held fear from Anubis' grand transformation. I quickly recognized him as the one who had shouted out earlier without their leader's permission. Understanding came to me and I felt bad that he was afraid I may be angry for his shouting. "M-m-may I unbind your hands?" he asked putting an effort to be calm but failing.

"Yes, please do." I turned around and allowed him to cut the rope around my wrists. My hands were free. I rubbed the rope burn around my wrists grateful. "Thank you," I said, my voice thick with gratitude. His fear eased, but didn't keep him from slinking cautiously away.

The village was about a mile into the forest. Even though the path there had been worn with use, I was still having trouble keeping myself from tripping over roots and rocks as I struggled to see them. Anubis always predicted when I was going to trip. He would grab my arm to steady me a second before my foot caught on something that would trip me. What he couldn't protect me from, though, was the panic of moving away from the canopic jar. I wanted to turn and run back to the river. I would take my chances with the piranhas. Every instinct in me was screaming, 'YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!' I forced my feet to keep moving forward ignoring how much it tore me up inside.

We came to an opening in the forest. It had houses built with coarsely chopped wood and straw roofs. Some had smoke rising from them. It was like something out of a National Geographic magazine. Everything was made with methods used for thousands of years. I knew it would be primitive, but I didn't anticipate how tranquil the atmosphere would be. You could hear the songbirds constantly singing in the trees. The light above that passed through the leaves made everything have a faint glow. I wanted to take off my blindfold to see it all in full color but I fought the urge.

Anubis on the other hand didn't show any interest in the scene before us. The arm he had been licking as a dog he was now gnawing on. I elbowed him. "Stop chewing your arm."

"It itches," he replied. Rolling my eyes no one could see, we followed the leader, who had introduced himself as Carios earlier. He took us to the chief's home, which was only slightly larger than the other homes. He was an elderly man covered in jewelry and no stranger to piercings. Carios explained who we were and if the chief was surprised he didn't show it. "We welcome you to our home, Great Ones. If there is anything you need, please don't wait to ask."

"Thank you," we said in unison. We were shortly taken to a vacant house on the outskirts of the village. Before we could go inside, a petit, young woman came bouncing to us. "Hello! My name's Itati. I'm a healer and I've come to—" She was cut off when Anubis spun around and started walking the other way. I quickly grabbed his shoulder. "Let the girl treat you. You're covered in blood."

"I'll live," he muffled through his bloody arm, his mouth still pressed firmly to it.

"We're guests here and you're being rude."

He growled, more like a dirty mutt than a fierce jackal in my opinion. Luckily, I changed his mind and he reluctantly came back. The healer gasped when she saw him chewing his arm. "My lord, you should not be biting your wounds!"

"It itches," he said. She took him away. While Anubis was gone, I received the royal treatment. They offered me a bath in cool water, which felt amazing in this heat. I was very happy to wash off all the sweat from the heat. They then dressed me in their own clothing that, thankfully, covered me completely unlike many of the clothing worn by other women here. As one woman combed my hair, another held out a bare piranha skull and asked if I would like my hair trimmed. I quickly refused.

I was escorted back to the chief's home where a large feast was laid out. There were many tropical fruits, vegetables, fish, and other meat dishes I didn't recognize. I did recognize the piranhas that had attacked Anubis grilled inside a large leaf. _Serves them right, _I thought.

Anubis came in covered in bandages, dog ears still sticking out of his hair, and no sign of emotion on his face. We sat next to each other, but I never said a word to him sensing he was unreachable right now. No one ate until we did. Every time my plate started to empty someone would fill it with more food. Midway through the meal, Anubis snapped out of his vacancy and started a conversation with the chief.

"The food is very delicious," he said. "Do you fish in the river every day?"

"When the weather permits us. Some days our warriors are able to catch a crocodile like the one we have here." He gestured to one of the plates I had just picked from. I swallowed the meat down with much effort. After a moment, I continued biting into it deciding that a crocodile isn't that bad.

"Your warriors are very impressive," Anubis continued. "I would like to borrow their skills if you would allow me to."

The chiefs smile didn't fade but I could see his eyes harden. "What do you need their talents for?"

"There is a possession of mine in the bottom of the river. We tried to retrieve it today but my way was blocked." _ That's a nice way to put being nearly eaten to death by fish._ "Your warriors would probably be better equipped to recover it than we would."

"It would be our honor to help you, although it may be difficult to find if we do not know where to look."

Anubis pointed his thumb at me. "Nakia will be able to guide them to the right spot." Anubis crossed his arms and looked at me with a slight grin. "She sees in ways we do not."

I wasn't sure if he was poking fun at me or was being honest, but I ignored him. The chief vehemently agreed not seeing any double meaning in his words. At the end of our dinner I was full and very tired. Not in the sleepy way but just tired of all the special treatment. I just wanted to get to the place we would be sleeping and have some time alone. Outside there were less people out which meant less eyes to stare at us. Even though the world was in grayscale, I could tell by the dimming glow that the sun was setting. More houses had smoke rising from them. I was glad that when we reached our home for the night that our entourage let us be. I happily stretched out on a small cot and listened to the songs the night created.

I wanted to close my eyes to block out the world so badly. Even though my blindfold was still secured over my eyes I wasn't blind to anything at all. With dread it dawned on me that I probably wouldn't get any sleep tonight. What with the anxiety disorder and seeing with or without my eyes closed, I didn't even know how to sleep this way.

I sat up, my earlier relief gone, to notice Anubis sitting on his cot watching me. "What?" I asked defensively.

Anubis looked away, tracing the pattern on his blanket. "You shouldn't go around telling people we're gods, especially since I am one."

"I had to do something," I said coldly. "It's not like I had many options."

"Its okay this time, I suppose," he remarked, his eyes still trained on his blanket. "They seem more excepting to the existence of gods than most people."

"Thank God, too. Or I guess it's 'Thank the gods'. I don't know what we would do if they caught that lie." I rolled my eyes at myself. Maybe it would have been better to tell the truth, at least for me. I hate lying as it is.

"Yeah, it's a good thing you're such a smooth liar," I snorted. Anubis raised his eyebrows and finally lifted his gaze. "What?" he asked.

"You've got to be kidding," I said with a laugh in my voice. "I'm about as good of a liar as I am a goddess."

"Really?" he asked, skepticism written in his face. I really didn't think I'd have to explain. Didn't he see my poor attempts at lying earlier?

"Of course. Most of the time my aunt and uncle catch my lies. The only people who buy into me are gullible." Even though I spoke the truth, I regretted my words as soon as I said them. Who was the rude one now, insulting the very people who had been so kind to us? Anubis never replied but instead went back to playing with his sheet. After a couple of minutes of silence, I was at the end of waiting. "You can go ahead and say what you're thinking. I know I'm horrible."

Without lifting his eyes he replied, "I wasn't thinking that. I was just wondering why you only lie to those who know you best."

He stopped me short, and I realized that he was right. The only ones I've ever had reason to lie to were my aunt and uncle. And how could I have not lied to them when I knew I would just worry them. They always asked if I was okay, but I never was. What else could I have done?

My silent anguish turned into panic when the world turned black. My wish had finally come true, only that the green glow of the canopic jar went out with it. All my earlier fears came back to me. _It was a fluke. It's gone! I won't be able to find the jars anymore!_ I couldn't see him, but Anubis must have noticed my new panic. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I can't see! The jar, the room; it disappeared!" I pulled the blankets under me into my clutched fists. I didn't realize they were shaking till two hands held mine steady.

"Calm down," Anubis' voice said close to me. I did my best to comply. "Take off your blindfold," he softly ordered. I grabbed at the knot but my fingers struggled to undo it. Anubis' hands quickly replaced mine. The blindfold was soon off me. The world was in color, just as it should be. But it was more than that. Though it was night, the room was bright and crisp as though there were daylight. And over Anubis' shoulder, where it had been before, was the green glow.

I let out a sigh of relief. "I can see it again. That's so weird. I wonder why it changed all of a sudden."

Anubis walked away from me and to a window. He pulled away the cloth that had given us privacy. I could see the whole forest clearly, even the bits of the moon visible through the foliage. The strangest thing happened when Anubis' gaze met the moon. His deep chestnut eyes would turn silver every time he looked in its light. I thought it was the glow of the moon, but it looked so unnatural that it really did look like his eyes were changing color.

He sat down next to me on my cot. He never looked at me while he spoke. "Your power must come from the moon."

"How so?"

"It's why you must close your eyes during the day. The sun interferes with your sight. By closing your eyes you're blocking it out." I didn't know what to think of this. While I let the new information sink in, Anubis played with his bandages. When the slightly bloody cloth dropped to the ground next to me I realized with horror he wasn't playing with them. He was taking them off.

"What are you doing?"

"It's fine. Moonlight heals me." Sure enough, under his bandages was smooth skin. There wasn't even a scar where his flesh had been gaping open.

"Pretty cool trick. Any reason why the moon can do that?"

Anubis shrugged, still not looking at me. "The moon is the sun of the _duat._ I draw power from it being a god of the _duat_."

"You too, huh…" I stared at the glow no one else could see. "What does that make me then?"

"I don't know," he said taking a moment to look at me. I glanced over at him and had to stifle a laugh. "By the way, nice ears," I said. I had almost forgotten about the dog ears he somehow kept after he changed back. Now that the world was in color again, the sandy fur of his ears stood out against his black hair.

In response, Anubis ruffled his hair. "I thought it would look ominous. I could have kept my whole head as a canine but that usually terrifies people."

"Yeah, please don't. The ears are enough. Happen to be hiding a tail too?" I asked while leaning over to peak.

Anubis didn't move at all at my investigation. "If I did I wouldn't show you. I'm glad I managed to change, though. For a moment there I thought my magic was sealed."

I cocked my head. "Sealed? Like sealing the lid on a pickle jar?"

His eyebrows dropped. "I guess you can compare it to that. I panicked when I couldn't use my magic. And then the fish came."

Now I was trying really hard to stifle a laugh. "I told you so—," I sung teasingly.

Anubis managed a grin. "You don't think I couldn't handle a couple of fish under normal circumstances?"

"I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't. Those things are freaky. I woman wanted to cut my hair with its teeth earlier." I shivered at having that skull anywhere near my hair. "Anyway, do you have any idea why your pickles were sealed shut?"

"A god is probably protecting the river. Normally I would ask if there is anyone these people worship, but since they know I'm a god it's harder to ask. They assume we're all knowing."

"I can ask," I offered.

"Aren't you the goddess of darkness, Nakia?"

"Oh… right…"

He smirked slightly. "It may not matter. We'll have the warrior's help tomorrow. Get some sleep. We'll need your eyes well and rested."

"I'll try," I mumbled. Even with the thought of another god at work here, I wasn't concerned. Like Anubis said, we'll be fishing with the warriors, so he won't have to get the jar himself. Despite my earlier worries, I did manage to get some sleep.

My eyes slid shut not knowing that after today nothing would be the same again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The day was hot and humid once again. Around us were the warriors readying their nets and spears. Beside the boat Anubis and I were riding there were two other boats flanking our sides. Although Anubis was the one giving the boat power, I was giving all the directions. The current wasn't strong so the other boats were able to keep up. When I would glance over the water's edge, I would sometimes see the shadow of fish following the boat. "The piranhas are following us," I called out to Anubis. "I think they want a second taste." He shook his head.

We slowed down as we came closer to the jar. I had to shout out more directions until I was sure all the boats were positioned around the jar. They started readying their net. It was very large and heavy, but it was exactly what we needed. It was designed specifically to scrape the river's floor and pick up anything that dwelled there. From what Carios explained earlier, it took at least two boats to haul up the net. While our boat was in charge of dropping the net, the other two were preparing their long grappling hooks so they could help lift it back up.

"We are ready," Carios said. "How is our position?"

"We're right where we need to be," I replied. "Have you shown your men the position of the jar?"

"Yes, your Highness." _Good,_ I thought. _The sooner I can get away from being called 'Your Highness' the better._ "Carry on then." He made his way to the others. I noticed Anubis was peering over into the water. I wondered if he took my piranha taunt to heart. I climbed over the bench to stand over him. "Ready to have another piece of your heart back?" I asked.

It was strange how as soon as I started speaking the emotion instantly left his face. It didn't take long for the confused look he had before to drift back. "Yeah, but something's not right." He peered back into the water.

"What's wrong?" I asked anxiously.

He shook his head. "I just feel like something's watching us." I peaked over the edge too, thinking I would see a pair of eyes in the water. But the dark surface showed nothing of what lurked below.

"The piranhas are watching you," I teased to hide my own unease. He smirked for a second but said nothing.

The men were now working the net over the edge. With a splash it dropped into the water while still secured to our boat by a single rope. You could see the years of experience by the way they moved. It was methodical, with no movement made without a purpose. As the other boat worked the net across the river floor, I saw the glow move. It dragged away from me at first but soon came to a slow stop. "I think you have it," I shouted to Carios.

He gives a curt nod and they start moving our boat towards the other one. The ropes their hooks had been pulling were lifted out of the water and traded off into our boat. The man started pulling at the ropes, using their basic pulley system for leverage. The glow steadily grew larger and I knew they caught it. My heart started to pound in excitement.

The net broke the water's surface. Inside it was small fish and crustaceans that live on the water's floor as well as rotted timber and debris from the forest. The net had a coat of muddy sand that was dripping off in large chunks. Without hesitation, I threw my arm through an opening in the net. I worked my way into the fish and wood seeing the glow was just beyond it. My hand touched a hard smooth surface and I grabbed it. I could feel a layer of sandy grime covered the jar. I pulled it out of the net, twisting it so it would fit through the hole. It was too dirty to make out its features, but the glow of it confirmed it was the jar we needed. My face broke into a grin. _We did it!_

Less than a second after I pulled the jar from the net I heard a loud splash below me. It was hard to believe what I was seeing. A crocodile moved upward out of the water. The fact that it was a crocodile wasn't what alarmed me but its size. The mouth alone was as long as two people. Its jaw clamped onto the net my hand had been in seconds before and submerged it underwater with it. Our boat started to lean sideways, threatening to topple over. A light came from Anubis' hands. The light sliced at the rope holding the net. The boat rocked violently from the release. Everyone fell to the floor. As we regained our footing, a giant tail flew out of the water and crashed into one of the other boats. The wood splintered as it was broken in half.

Carios started yelling out orders to engage in battle with the creature, but I could only watch helplessly. How could they possibly stand a chance against that thing? Anubis seemed to be thinking along the same lines. His mouth was moving with words I couldn't hear and his hands stretched toward the water. A pillar of water shot into the sky and formed into a giant wave that crashed into our boat. We were swept by it, and dragged to shore. When the boat hit land, I flipped over the boat's edge. My back slammed onto the wet shore and I felt sure that I had bruised something. I clutched the jar to my chest and pushed myself up. I saw Anubis jump from the boat and land beside me. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, just don't do that again. What's going on?"

"Sobek," was all he said. He went back to the other warriors as they were collecting their weapons from the boat's floor.

"You should leave him to me," Anubis told them. "Get yourselves away from the river."

"We are not leaving, Great One," Carios replied strongly. "We have men still braving the waters. We won't abandon them."

"Fine," Anubis said turning from them. His expression turned blank from their response. If you didn't know him as well as I did it would probably have looked like he was thinking, '_It's your funeral, not that I care_.' Certainly, the other men gave each other looks like this was what Anubis meant. Since I knew there was no way I could help with the mutant crocodile problem, I decided to use my new status to help Anubis save face.

"You should focus on saving your men instead of fighting the monster. You won't be of any help if you're killed." I kept my voice even and strong which helped to distract them from Anubis' departing words. At first, I thought that I shouldn't be helping them like this. I would prefer to shout, 'Go help him kill that thing!' But I knew that wouldn't be right. Truthfully, I felt it wasn't a battle I wanted others to fight. I willfully made the choice to enter the world of gods knowing the dangers. But I didn't want these people dragged into our problems, because whatever happened to them it would be my fault.

Carios walked to the front of his men. "You may be right. What would you –"

_Splash!_ From the river the crocodile rose from the water. Anubis stood at the beach, a small silhouette compared to the beast rising to meet him. Panic filled my mind and I forgot about everything in the world, even my own breathing, outside of the terror of Anubis facing this creature. But he never made a move to run, but stood tall and still in front of it.

"Sobek!" he shouted. "Stop this!" The crocodile lunged at him. The beast's jaw opened wide, easily large enough to devour a two-story building. Anubis managed to duck under his mouth and the croc's mouth bit into the sand. While on his back, he kicked the beast's jaw. It looked very pathetic of an attack with how small Anubis was compared to the crocodile. The effect was instant, though. His mouth clamped shut with the force and a furious growl ripped out of the beast's lungs. It retreated back, somewhat stunned from its pain.

I managed to breathe again, the initial shock somewhat subdued. I looked to the warriors, their own shock freezing them in place. Only Carios seemed to be aware of their own situation. "Come! We must find the other boats!" The sound of their leader's words broke them of their shock. The group began to depart into the wilderness that bordered the river.

Anubis called to them, "Take Nakia with you!"

"Hell no!" I responded immediately. I knew I was useless but I wasn't about to abandon Anubis. Leaving him would drive me as insane as trying to leave the canopic jar.

Anubis wasn't ready to fight me over this. "Then stay back!"

So I stood back, my arms wrapped around the jar protectively. The warriors left while the crocodile was distracted. The beast began to regain his composure. As it did, Anubis said to it, "Why do you do this, Sobek? Since when have I become your enemy?"

As great of a plan striking a conversation with a murderous mutant crocodile was, it backfired completely. Probably not the conversational type. My panic peaked again as the creature's teeth came for Anubis. Adrenaline made time move sluggishly slow, or was I more aware of what was happening? The adrenaline, however, didn't prepare me for the shock of how the situation completely changed.

Whatever plan Anubis had for dodging the creature's attack, I never saw it. Before the croc's jaw met its target, it suddenly jerked backward by some invisible force. Its open mouth roared in pain. Then from the river came a scorpion of even greater size than the crocodile. Its pinchers snapped at the crocodile's legs but it whipped away. When the scorpion's tail grazed the side of the crocodile as it stabbed at him, the crocodile retreated into the river. The scorpion went after it. The water splashed and then became perfectly still.

Slowly, the birds and creatures of the forest came back to life. The forest's song started to play again. But I was too confused to be calm. All I could manage was to ask, "What the hell just happened?"

Anubis didn't move from the shore. His eyes stayed trained on the river. We both were completely still, me from shock but I wasn't sure about Anubis. I don't think he would be shocked even if he was capable of the emotion. When I was sure nothing was coming to eat us, I made my stiff limbs move. I started to walk to Anubis but he quickly flung out his arm. "Don't come. Stay there," he commanded.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I could barely trust the calm of the forest, and his reaction only confirmed my instincts.

"It's fine, just don't come here." His voice was calmer but I still felt very tense. The minutes passed in absolute silence. I stood still except for my hands fiddling with the jar. When I felt a rhythmic pound on the jar's surface, I stopped playing with it.

I had just decided that Anubis was being paranoid when the water started to move again. It began to bubble and part opening a path to the river's floor. Walking on that path was a gorgeous woman. She was very tall and dressed in a lavish gown that sparkled like gold. She had a darker complexion like the natives here. Her hair was a long sheet of black silk that moved like ripples of water was running through it. I was so astounded by her beauty that I didn't notice her expression. She looked very annoyed and was glaring down at Anubis.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Anubis said with a welcoming but off smile. "My name is Anubis. Thank you for your help earlier."

The woman considered him for a moment, her annoyance a bit eased. "I am Ituana, goddess of this river. Did you bring that beast of a god here?" she asked.

"I know of him, but he certainly didn't come from my invitation."

"But he knows you?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes. If he came for me, I don't know why. He is… easily provoked. His attack may as well been a coincidence."

Her annoyance came back in stronger force. "Really? And I suppose this would be the same coincidence that's left my river smelling of wet dog."

The emotion started to slip from Anubis' face but he continued on. "I was recovering something of mine that had fallen into your river. I knew I was unwelcome when I felt the seal on me."

"You most certainly weren't welcome. I already have to deal with the Pombero's stench." She paused, observing him with disdain. "You may leave in one piece, and consider it a gift. But please try not to lose anything else of yours in my river again. I can't guarantee I will be as understanding a second time." She was turning to return to the river when her eyes flickered to me. Her eyes narrowed and she added, "I guess you'll be taking care of the mortals? I believe two dead ones were recovered from my shore."

I sharp gasp of air ripped my lungs. No one noticed. "I will send off their dead," Anubis replied heavily. Ituana held her gaze on him for a moment, then retreated back to the river, the water erasing her path.

Anubis came to where I was having my first episode. Two people dead. Two lives ended because of me. Their families would be grieving and it was my entire fault. I had sunk into the sand, my forehead rested on my knees while the jar was smashed into my gut. Whether I could see with my eyes closed didn't matter anymore. I couldn't wipe away the images of the warriors who had joined us this morning and wondered whose deaths I was responsible for.

A hand rested on my head. Anubis was sitting in the muddy sand across from me. His sad expression reminded me of his promise. _I will send off their dead_. We needed to go back but I couldn't move. I wasn't ready for this, to look into the eyes of the families I had stolen from. It may have been in desperation that I clung to Anubis' shirt. I asked barely above a whisper, "What can I do? What can I possibly say to make this better?"

Anubis' eyes hardened. For the first time I saw him as the old man he was. He replied, "I've been around death enough to know there are never any words." He unfastened my grip on his shirt. He rose and I heard a whistle above me. In a couple of moments our boat sailed to us in a ripple of air. Anubis was back on the ground coaxing me to stand. "You should return to the boat. I'll finish things here."

I nodded and stood. I held out the jar to him, my eyes still focused on the ground. "Here," I said. He took it from me and I quickly added, "Drink it when I'm on the boat. I'm at my limit today." He nodded and held my hand while I boarded the boat. I felt the strange sensation of space changing around me and his hand disappeared.

Paws was there waiting for me. My arms quickly wrapped around him. I stayed there for a long time holding on to him as though he were a life support. When I couldn't stand my muddy clothes anymore, I finally let go. Paws followed me wherever I went clearly concerned. He even joined me in the shower, cleaning off the mud and sand my hug had gotten on him. When my physical self was taken care of, I made myself a glass of iced tea and snuggled with Paws on a sofa to deal with my emotional self. I don't know if it was because I didn't know who had died, but I felt more tired than the grief I had at the river. I laid my head into the warmth of Paws' fur and allowed my eyes to droop.

I woke up with no sense of how long I had slept. I reluctantly opened my eyes to quickly realize I still had the blindfold on. I took it off and observed the darkness around me. It had to be nighttime already. In a lounge chair across from me sat Anubis. His face was nestled in his hands hiding his expression. "Anubis?" I asked with sleep in my voice. He didn't move. "Anubis, what's wrong?"

He shook his head and lowered his hands. The look on his face was new to me. It was like the sad expression he gave me earlier but more intense. Even painful. "It's nothing," he replied. "I just need some sleep." He got up and both Paws and I watched him till he left the room. I laid my head down and worried about Anubis. It was harder to worry, though, when I was calmer than I had been since I first sensed the jar. I may have been able to doze back off.

That was until Anubis' cry of pain rang through the night.

* * *

"People can make a $10 donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999. Their donation will go to support relief efforts for the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific. "

* * *

_Author's Note: Arg, my internet hasn't been working for a week. I'm horribly behind on _everything_. I'm so glad I'm on vacation this week._

_Good news. I was browsing through FF and someone mentioned a Mary Sue Litmus test which I had never heard of. I found it and gave it a try. I'm glad to report that Nakia got a very low score ^^ Anubis on the other hand barely scraped by *snicker*. Good thing I didn't create him. I don't even have to bother with Ra and Osiris to know they are Sues. The Egyptians had a bad habit of making their favorite gods have all the best powers. The test is hilarious though. And I'm glad I took it because it was the first time I ever thought of my story as a whole and I realized that I will be putting Nakia through hell. I'm so evil to my protagonists._

~Oishii


	7. The World's Worst First Kiss

**Chapter 7: The World's Worst First Kiss**

I have had all-nighters before, at slumber parties and summer camp, but neither had been as exhausting as last night. I probably should have been thankful that I had slept through most of the previous day or I may have been in a worse state. But the happenings of the last day only left me unprepared for what the night brought.

When Paws and I heard Anubis' scream, we immediately ran after him. We found him at the foot of the stairs, his body crumpled on the floor. He was screaming in agony, writhing on the floor in horrid pain. I knelt down by his side, not sure what to do let alone what was wrong. Paws was just as useless as me, yelping and whimpering as he panted around us. Deciding that watching wasn't accomplishing anything, I grabbed his arm and tried to get his attention. "Anubis! What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"

Then I noticed where he was clutching his hands. His shirt crumpled in his fists. Over his heart. I didn't know if gods could have heart attacks. Whatever it was, it was something I couldn't see. This problem was way out of my league to help with. He jerked violently and his head slammed into the stair's bottom step. I quickly decided I should try and move him.

I attempted to lift him up but it was difficult. Anubis was moving so much himself. He seemed completely unaware of anything outside his pain. I forced his arm around my shoulder, my other hand supporting his other side, and tried to stand up with him. _How much does this kid weigh?_ I had thought that he being my size would mean he couldn't possibly weigh much more than me. I could barely stand with him weighing me down and I was met with the dilemma of walking with him.

Paws came to my rescue. At first he terrified me. He bit Anubis' leg and started to pull on him. His pull on him only added to the struggle his writhing was causing. I gritted my teeth as I felt my knees buckle. Then the weight started to ease. I looked over to see Anubis' eyes open. He was focusing on Paws and he started to move his own feet. Although I was still supporting him, the task became much easier. We managed to get in his room, but he collapsed two feet from his bed. Unprepared, I crumpled to the floor under his weight. Knowing I couldn't lift him, I started shaking him. "It's only a couple of steps. Focus!" He roused and staggered the extra steps. He fell into his sheets, his cries becoming more intense. I pulled at his sheets trying to make him more comfortable. When I finished, I had nothing left to do.

As I watched him, ideas began to formulate the cause of his pain. I may have had it wrong. Although I was sure his heart was the source, it may not be a natural cause. I wondered with dread if the canopic jar I gave him started this. Perhaps it hadn't been his heart, but poison within the jar. Maybe my GPS wasn't really targeting his heart pieces but the physical jars. I could be the cause of yet another tragedy. I couldn't face this.

I got up thinking of getting to a phone or a hospital; someplace he could get some help. A cold balmy hand grabbed my wrist. I turned to see Anubis' haggard face watching me. "I'm fine… This… is normal… Don't leave…"

So I stayed by his side the whole night. Paws was able to bring me damp towels to wipe the sweat from his face with. He then lay at the end of the bed and watched Anubis with puppy eyes. It was an hour before Anubis' shouts turned to moaning. An hour and a half after that there was only the occasional groan. I whipped his face clean, held his hand, and whispered reassuring words through it all. It was all I could do. I don't know how much of a difference this may have had. Maybe he didn't notice at all. There was one moment when jolted awake with a short cry; he gazed at me for the longest time. There were no words or much of an expression on his face. He just watched me till sleep took him again.

Even while he slept I stayed at his bedside. I couldn't find it in me to sleep. I just sat in the dark and listened to Paws and Anubis' slow breathing. I did notice in these silent hours that Anubis' breathing was very drawn out, especially compared to Paws. A couple of times I thought he had stopped breathing only to hear his inhale a second later. I rested my fingers on his wrist where I could feel his faint pulse after a couple of scares.

The night was long. As though I hadn't had enough to deal with already my mind wandered back to the small village by the Amazon River. I wondered if they had buried the two men yet and what sort of ceremony they performed. Whatever it was, I hoped it was extravagant. They deserved the most. I hoped Anubis was a comfort to them. That he was able to make the families feel proud of their service to the gods. I hoped he made things seem less horrifying than they actually were.

My whole body sagged as morning rolled around. I was starting to forget how to blink, my eyes staying shut till I gathered the will to open them. During one of my blinks I felt something brush away the hair in my face. I slowly urged my eyes open to find a pair of copper eyes looking into mine. The meaning of the eyes came slowly to me. _These eyes are open. They belong to a person. The person is Anubis. Anubis is awake._ "Mornin'," I drawled.

His face contorted into something I didn't know. There was a name for it, but my brain couldn't figure out what it was. His left hand started rubbing the hand that held his through the night. For a strange reason, the feeling of life coming back to my fingers fascinated me. He stared at our hands as he spoke.

"I'm sorry. I should have warned you before. The rejoining of my heart is… a painful process. I wish I could say I was used to it now."

This should have had more meaning to me, but I was beyond the point of comprehending much. Only one senseless detail stayed with me. "That's the first time you've said 'sorry' to me."

His eyes widened and the contorted expression deepened. "Sorry…" he repeated as he pulled his hand away. "You should sleep. You look horrible." He rolled over with his back to me. I ended up in my room without remembering how I got there. I fell asleep within seconds.

Our journey continued on. The next day I briefly saw Anubis with Paws in the bridge. They were revising our traveling route with the newfound range of my GPS. I barely had time to greet him before he left. I didn't see much of Anubis after that, not conscious anyway. He had taken to curling up on the sofa for long hours of the day only rising to eat. For a while I left him alone. I didn't push him because my memory of the expression he gave me when he said 'sorry' finally had a name.

Guilt.

That smiling boy I once knew was now gone. For better company, I started spending most of my time with Paws. As I got to know him more, I understood what Anubis meant by him being highly intelligent for a dog. He was able to communicate with me in a way I've never seen an animal do. With everything I said and asked he would make a gesture to show his response. He could shake and nod 'yes' and 'no', tilt his head as a question, and respond to anything I asked. He sometimes even corrected me when I had misinterpreted him. I could go on telling him stories about myself and I felt a hundred percent sure he understood every word I said. He was good company, but we were both still worried about Anubis.

The responsibility of making sure everyone was fed fell to me. I shopped the outdoor markets with Paws as my guard. I had to cook for three since the dog food had already run out and we weren't due to reach a city for a couple of days. To make my task easier, I gave up on cooking Paws and Anubis' meat. They preferred it raw anyway. It became my routine to leave them their food and escape to the bridge so I wouldn't have to watch them eat.

One evening I left Anubis a cut of beef and steamed vegetables by the sofa. We hadn't spoken at all since I stayed up through the night with him. His head was buried under his blanket so I assumed he was sleeping. I got up to leave but something tugged on my sleeve. I looked back and saw Anubis' eyes were peaking out of the covers, his hand clasped on my shirt. Despite his hours of seclusion, he looked sleep deprived and ill. His skin was nearly white except for the dark bruises under his eyes. His hair was a wreck that pointed in every direction. But this was nothing to the torment in his eyes. It scared me.

As though he were desperate, he blurted out, "I'm sorry, Nakia!"

I stared at him in confusion. I didn't know what he was talking about, but the amount of grief in his voice made me feel sympathetic to him. I sat on the edge of the seat and rubbed the blanketed mass reassuringly. "It's okay," I said softly. "I understand. You don't need to worry about me."

"No, you don't understand," he replied in anguish. "I knew. I knew the whole time the people in that house were going to die. But I didn't do anything. I just wanted to get the jar. I left them to die. I left _you_ to die! It's all my fault!"

He buried his face in his hands and curled into himself. I froze when the meaning hit me. My parents. Anubis was there and he knew they were going to die. He had thought I would die too. But he chose the jar over us. Could he have done anything to save us? I remembered how Anubis had once told me he had not intentionally saved me. At the time, I had not thought of extending that to my parents. I never thought that he had left them to die. But, oddly, I couldn't blame him for what happened like he was. Everything happened so quickly that night. I didn't think either of us knew what would happen. He knew the result, but not the how. He was a mighty god, but right now all I could see was a vulnerable child who's seen more than he could handle.

"Do you know how the explosion happened?" I asked. He shook his head, never removing his hands from his face. "We were supposed to grill burgers the day before. The grill wouldn't work and my dad thought the new kerosene tank he bought was the problem. He bought another one the next day, but it still wasn't working. He put the grill and kerosene tanks in the garage intending to fix it the next day. We cooked the burgers in a pan instead." I laid my head back remembering being spattered with sour cream and the catsup Eye of Horus.

"They said the wiring was faulty. It started to spark with a kerosene tank still hooked up to it. The garage had two full kerosene tanks as well as two vehicles with full tanks of gas. Our house was small enough that it was completely engulfed in minutes." Glowing fire. My life, my future, all burned in its flames.

He didn't move at all so, after a moment, I continued. "I never blamed you. I still don't. You can't be blamed for faulty wiring. You were more concerned about the jar being destroyed. Between that and a couple of strangers, I can understand your choice."

"It doesn't make it right," he mumbled.

"No, but you still saved me. You managed to get one thing right, even if it was by accident. Thank you."

He pulled his hands away. He didn't look completely convinced. If anything some of his guilt was replaced with weariness. "I don't deserve it."

"Yes you do, and you shouldn't keep moping around like this. A death god can't go around saving everyone."

He sighed and said, "I know. The best I can do is to give them an afterlife." The words flowed from him as though they had been repeated many times before. He pulled up his knees and rested his head on them. "I wish I had my brother's job."

"You're brother's Horus, right?" As I said the words a connection formed in my head. I slapped myself at my stupid forgetfulness. "Duh! Of course. Don't I feel like an idiot."

Anubis peaked over his knees. "You shouldn't. Most people don't know that much."

"Not that," I said. "I couldn't remember who Osiris and Isis' son was. For a while I thought it was you until Thoth corrected me. I just remembered it was Horus. Stupid, stupid…" I ground my head in my agitation.

Anubis looked a bit confused now. "It's not that important. You could have just asked me."

"No!" I exclaimed. "That would have meant surrender! I knew I knew it. I just couldn't think of it." Aware of how confusing I sounded, I rushed to a topic change. "Forget my stupid brain lapse. What does your brother do?"

"He's the king of men. He takes leadership roles and actually saves people." Bad topic change. His shoulders slumped and he was back to grieving.

"Sounds boring," I said with nonchalance. I managed to pull a smile from him. It wasn't the same as his old smile, but I wasn't going to be picky. He replied, "Horus says the same thing. To him the only fun thing in life is beating up Set."

"And blowing up libraries," I added.

He shook his head. "He's such a child. He's determined to always be on Thoth's bad side."

"Does everyone call him a child?"

"Yeah. It was originally to distinguish him from Uncle Horus. He was named after him, but it got confusing so we stared calling them Horus the Elder and Horus the Child, or Big Horus and Little Horus. He hates being called a child, though. We'd probably drop the name if he didn't act like one."

"You don't seem to mind his behavior." I had noticed he had a small smile as he spoke about him.

"He doesn't blow up my graveyards," he responded. The emotion slipped from him. I realized with a pang of guilt that I was more comfortable with his guilty face than his blank one. Ashamed, I turned away and pushed his food to him. "Go ahead and eat. I'll be in the bridge if you need me."

"'Kay," he replied.

I had hoped after we had talked he would improve. But nothing really changed, other than me understanding what was wrong. I couldn't stand seeing him always sulking on the couch. I could barely be in the room with him. He was the thing in the room that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep my eyes from wondering back to him. I kept myself in the bridge and, for the first time since I left, I started to miss my home.

It was after I had made a shopping trip in Paraguay that I heard Anubis speak again. I had stumbled on a vendor while shopping selling grilled meat he called 'avado'. I savored the citrus taste in the tender pork while I shared it with Paws. It would have been an ordinary day huddled in the bridge together until Anubis walked in. He had his blanket wrapped around him and he looked dead on his feet.

"Paws, make a stop at Iguazu falls." Paws barked obediently. I bit my lip.

"We don't have to—"

"It was our agreement," he said and quickly left. He hadn't forgotten I wanted to visit the sites. I wanted to go, really. It was the place I was thinking of when I made that deal. This place was important to my parents. But Anubis wasn't in any condition to travel. I had counted on him being too out of it to notice the places we passed. I knew there would be no negotiations over this, so I bit my last piece of avado and left to prepare.

I had finished getting ready when I went back upstairs. On the couch, where he always was these days, Anubis was curled up in his blanket. I suddenly had enough of his brooding. I grabbed his blanket and ripped it off of him. Before he could even look at me I shouted, "You are not going to lay here and leave me and Paws to take care of ourselves! You are going to go downstairs, get showered and dressed, and you are coming to the falls with us and you better enjoy yourself, damn it!" I threw the blanket at him and stormed out the room. Fifteen minutes later, Anubis came for us cleaned and looking slightly better, but still pale and sickly looking.

We got off in the forested area several feet from the main path. We had to casually enter the path without anyone seeing us. Although our entrance went unnoticed, Paws was drawing a lot of attention. Sour faced adults tutted the unleashed dog while children pointed with sequels of excitement. One look from Anubis and everyone pretended we didn't exist.

We could hear the falls before seeing them. We came around a bend and on the other side of the trees was the awesome view. The waterfall towered high in the sky gushing tons of water. Green patches of plants and trees were imbedded in the falls dividing it into their own separate waterfalls. Across the water shone a rainbow that never disappeared. It was beautiful and powerful, like I had never seen anything of greatness in the world until now.

I couldn't keep my eyes off the sight so I was surprised when we came to a large clearing. It was packed with tourists. There were stands selling food and souvenirs, tour guides giving long repeated speeches to groups of tourists, and paths branching off to lifts you could ride to the top. I found a place with maps and I quickly grabbed one for myself.

My heart sank when I surveyed it. There were three trolleys you could take to the top, but which one was the right one? I could remember no mention of a specific path. Disappointment filled me when I knew I would never find the spot I was looking for. The ones who could tell me were gone and I would never know.

A group of laughing people passed by, one of them shoved me sharply. I hadn't expected it since that was the side Anubis had been walking on. I spun around but there were only unfamiliar faces. "Anubis?" I called out. No one came. I wondered around the sea of people, becoming more panicked. I started to feel smaller and smaller, a lost child shuffling through the tall legs with faceless grown-ups, crying for the name I couldn't find.

Leaping through their legs came a black-and-white bundle of fur. "Paws!" I shouted. He bounded to me barking in a whinny tone. "Where's Anubis?" He pointed his muzzle to the left and ran into the crowd. I followed his tail. There were gasps and shrieks of surprise as we forced our way through them. A family in front of us walked away revealing him. He was sitting on his knees staring at the pavement. He was still as a statue. He had no life in his face and his whole body was limp. I kneeled in front of him, parting his bangs to see his face. "Anubis?" I asked hesitantly. He didn't respond at all. It was as though he wasn't there anymore. His voice from a long ago conversation rang in my mind. _'It was like being in darkness. I wasn't really aware of myself or anything around me.'_ I waved my hand in his eyes, poked him and then shook him. He never noticed. I was scared, but I didn't know what to do. I threw his arm around my shoulder, the same way I had the night he screamed in pain, and dragged him to a bench. Away from the crowd, I tried to bring him from his state. "Anubis? Can you hear me?" He held his blank gaze to the ground never moving. Paws was whimpering, nuzzling his nose to his hand.

"Watch him for a second, Paws." I went to a food stand that read 'Chippa' on it. I bought two hot biscuits and came back. I tried to give Anubis the food, but his eyes stared unfocused. Defeated, I slunk back in the bench and ate the cheesy bread. It was chewy underneath its crusty surface, but I could barely focus on eating. Too helpless to care, I started rambling even though he wasn't listening.

"Did you know my parents met here? Of all the places for two Americans to meet they did it on the other side of the Earth. My father was serving in Argentina and came here on one of his days off. My mother was on vacation with her parents. They met somewhere up there." I pointed to the top of the waterfall. Only Paws looked.

"My mother had run ahead of her parents. She climbed up a rung of the fence and was leaning over it just because she was told not to. It was wet. She slipped and fell into the water. The current swept her to the falls, but my father saw her. He wrapped his legs around a post and stretched out his whole body to reach her. He saved her life. From then on my mother sent letters to my father till he came back to the states. They fell in love and got married."

I pulled out the crumpled map I had thrown in my pocket. I smoothed it out on my legs. "I wanted to find that spot where my mother fell. It had to be one of the paths at the top. But there are three of them. Even if we went to each one, I will never know which spot they met at." I crushed the map in my hands. "If only they could have brought me here before they died."

A tug to my arm yanked me from the bench. I was propelled forward by this force, my feet stumbling to get bearing. I looked forward. Anubis' back was to me, his hand pulling me by my wrist. We climbed a path full of steps that weaved until we were at a wire pulled car. I was drug to a window seat where I sat trying to catch my breath. Paws climbed over me to stick his head out of the window and Anubis sat next to me, breathing evenly.

"Get out of the way, Paws!" I pushed him till he sat by the window and my lap was free. From my fist I smoothed out the nearly destroyed map. "Which path is this?" I asked. Anubis pointed to the middle path. "What makes you think this one?" He looked away, his face blank but no longer dead.

We rode the trolley to the top. When we came to a stop, Anubis grabbed my wrist again as though I would get lost. The path was made in an island that stood in the falls. To the right were a metal fence and a swift river. The island was long and narrow. Anubis walked brusquely towing me behind him. He soon let go of me when the river's end came into view. He sped ahead and pointed to a spot in the river.

"There is where she fell." A question was at the tip of my tongue but Anubis quickly continued down the path. Memorizing where he pointed, I followed him. He stopped at a spot close to where the water fell over the edge. He waited till I caught up to him. "Your father was here." He pointed to the edge of the waterfall past the point where the path ended. "I was over there. I was waiting for her at the edge, to scoop her soul the moment she fell. She was to die from the fall, so I saw no point of making her live through those last seconds. But then your father pulled her from the water. I left without the soul I was promised." He stepped close to me and focused his eyes into mine. They were old but fierce with a power in them I had never seen. I was sure if it were dark out, they would be glowing.

"They were destined to meet each other. Only fate could have allowed her to escape me."

* * *

Anubis started to come back to life after our trip. He still took his naps, but they were shorter and he would spend his times awake with us. I started to spend my time in the living room even when Anubis was sleeping. I didn't think of home anymore and instead focused on the trips we had planned.

There were many places to see this side of South America. We made a stop in Chile at a place with a row of tall statues of faces called Moai. There were many ancient ruins we visited. There were tall fortresses of stone built to protect ancient cities from their enemies. One ruin in the middle of Columbia I couldn't stay at too long. The humid rainforest reminded me too much of the Amazon River. But none of these places were as exciting as our last stop in a country called Peru. There we visited the ruins of Machu Pichu.

It was an ancient city on top of a mountain. Stone walls rose and folded into rooms and stairs too tall for climbing. The buildings were, of course, man-made, but the way the stone and greenery coexisted together made the ruins as one with the Earth as the mountainous peaks around us. As vast as these ruins were, being surrounded by mountains rising into the clouds made me feel very small. I was so high up yet I couldn't even see where the tops of the mountains were.

The last places we had gone to I merely observed without bothering anyone. But here I wanted to learn how this place came to be. We snuck into a group with a tour guide. I think he spoke Spanish but I had no real way of telling. The people who lived here were called Incas. There were many theories why they made this place; for farming, prisoners, worshiping, and many others. The winning theory seemed to be that it was their leader's home away from home. That was a letdown. I would rather believe criminals were tortured to death here than it being the world's first resort.

The place was still religious to them. The stars were important to their beliefs and what better place to do some stargazing than on a mountain? The guide showed us a boulder that was believed to hold the sun on its route through the sky. Anubis snorted behind me and I cracked a grin. I turned and whispered, "What would Ra think to being held in place by a rock?"

Anubis replied, "Don't tell him. He'll destroy the rock."

The guide ended and before the tour guide noticed we didn't belong, we went wondering on our own. It was extremely fun to explore the place. It was like exploring a labyrinth, not knowing what you would find in the next turn. I don't know when I lost Anubis and Paws. I was so engrossed in the ruins that I suddenly noticed no one was with me. I wasn't worried, however. They wouldn't be hard to find, and I wasn't ready to go back yet. I kept exploring. I was now in the smaller rooms where I could imagine people living in these walls. In the light that came in from the door I saw Anubis' shadow walk in. I turned saying, "Isn't this place cool? I can't imagine what –"

It wasn't Anubis at the doorway. He was the same height and age, but he had pale blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and a smile that made shivers crawl down my spine. "You!" I exclaimed in shock and outrage.

The arrogant god leaned on the doorframe and cocked his head. "You don't seem too happy to see me. Were you expecting someone else?"

"I sure as hell wasn't expecting you!"

He started playing with his hair, his eyes focused on his hand and a playful smile on his face. "All this anger because I don't have a jackal head. That really isn't fair."

I didn't want to deal with him. I stormed past him hissing, "Stop following me."

A strong grip held my shoulder in place. No matter how much I shoved I could not move. The god moved in front of me and held my gaze. He was the same height but he still managed to look down on me. "Don't jump to conclusions, mortal. I happened to be in the neighborhood and decided to go on a vacation, just like you. The scenery is beautiful, isn't it?" His voice was mocking. He let me go with a smug smile. I wanted to run, push him off the mountain and roll the giant sun rock on top of him, but I held my ground. If I tried to leave he would stop me and I didn't want his disgusting hands on me.

Either sensing my defeat or revulsion, probably both, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder – '_Anubis needs to teach me how to growl'_ I thought – and spun me around to face the view of the ruins. "Amazing what wonders mortals can achieve. It can be so easy to assume you creatures are too weak to do anything. This trip has really opened my eyes. Don't you think the same, Nakia?" I could feel him staring at me, but I focused my glare into the distance, my arms crossed in defiance.

"You know," he said with a slight menace in his voice, "these people lived, what, half a millennium ago? It may seem like a long time to you, but what's a millennium or two to a god?" His voice was now a whisper in my ear and made goose bumps creep up my arm. "Would you like to know firsthand what life was like here? I could tell you all about it."

"If I wanted to know, I –" Surprise, anger, repulsion, terror; the emotions slammed into me when I turned to glower at him and his lips met mine. It all lasted only a second before the world disappeared and I ceased to exist.

* * *

I am going to die. It's all I can think. I am more terrified than I have been in my life, but I also just want this to end. Let life take me and end my suffering. I have nothing to live for anymore. No family, no tribe nor my king is left for me to serve. If the gods are looking down on me now, I can only pray for them to end me.

The stone walls tower over my crumpled body, but the heavens stretch endlessly in the sky. They are so beautiful, a better sight to die to than my burning village. I am a warrior, yet I ran away. But I knew when I saw the fire weapons the foreign men used to kill my people in seconds that there was no hope. We could never win. So why, Túpac? Why lead us warriors to certain death when we could flee with our lives? Why couldn't you welcome us into your kingdom in the mountains where they would never find us? Why?

I will never be found, but it doesn't matter anymore. I will die anyway. Maybe this is the magic those evil men carry that has deformed my body. I can no longer see my skin. Flat bumps cover every part of me like scales on a fish. The bumps are hard and leak of thick liquids. My body aches and I am too weak to move. I should get water from the channel, but if I had the strength, I fear my reflection. My face is a mask of my disease and no longer mine. I do not want to see the monster that is killing me.

My eyelids no longer wish to stay open. My body has no will to fight. I fear sleep. How many times have I thought death was finally claiming me only to wake into my nightmare? My hope for the end is crushing me, but I can't fight anymore. The world starts slipping and I see a figure standing over me. Is it a man or a dog? I cannot tell. But if he is death, I hope he will be swift.

* * *

I was confused to wake up, not only alive, but to have someone's lips kissing mine. I didn't know what was happening, only that I felt very sick. I pushed the person away and ran to a corner to release my stomach. My hands touched my arms, chest, and face but my skin was smooth again. Bile filled my mouth and I let it splatter the ground. My skin was normal again; smooth and soft. But hadn't I just been dying? Am I already dead? It was so real. It had happened so quickly.

Right?

Slowly it comes back to me. _I am Malinda, also called Nakia. I am a teenage girl, not an Incan warrior. I am not dying. I was visiting Machu Pichu with Anubis and Paws and then I ran into…_

"Wasn't their life here amazing?"

I jumped and turned to see cold eyes boring into mine. He was still smiling but it was terrifying. I could not move but watch him as his voice purred, "To think a king would have such a vast kingdom that he could build a palace on a mountain to use at his leisure. Yet when the Spanish came with their guns and cannons, but does he give away his palace so they may live? No. He can't stand the thought to lose his kingdom to another. He sends his people to die and loses everything anyway. Isn't this place cool?" He said mimicking my earlier words. "I can't imagine what life must have been like."

"Who are you?" I asked in a small voice.

His smile widened. "I am Amun, the god of hidden meaning. I hope you will learn from me not to trust things by the way they appear. Your pretty eyes could be deceiving you."

"Nakia?"

Anubis and Paws were up ahead. Amun turned and grinned. "There he is. I was wondering when we would be interrupted." Anubis paid no mind to Amun and held his eyes on me, concern on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm—" My eyes widened in horror. Amun had walked straight to Anubis and was caressing his cheek. His lips were inches from his face as he slowly traced his jaw line. Anubis never moved or looked at Amun. His only concern was me. And then, with dread, the truth sunk in.

_Anubis can't see him._

Amun gave me one more domineering smile and walked away. I was frozen, watching him leave. Anubis looked behind him to see what I was staring at, but his eyes only registered Paws. He turned back, looking confused. "What's wrong?"

I didn't react at first. I was watching. Only until Amun turned a corner and vanished from view could I move again. My hands instinctively rubbed each other as I thought of how to respond. _What should I say? Should I tell him? Would he know there is a god he can't see? And how can I explain that when he kissed me I had become an Incan warrior?_ And when the memories of that warrior played in my mind, I knew I couldn't tell him.

"Nakia?" He was now shaking me now. It was strange how the more worried he grew, the less emotion showed on his face.

"Don't shake me." I meant to sound annoyed but my voice was hollow.

"What's wrong?" he implored. Paws gave a whiny bark seconding his question.

"I… I need to get out of here. Now." I hated how panicked my voice sounded, especially since I felt more numb than scared.

Anubis nodded and started leading us through the ruins. I kept my eyes on the ground. Paws was keeping close to me and I watched his tail smack my leg. If anyone stared at us I wouldn't know. I didn't want to see any of them, but mostly I didn't want to see a pair of icy blue eyes amongst them. When we got into the boat, I went straight to my room. I needed to be alone so I could get a hold of myself.

I had never been truly afraid of a person before. Shy, but not scared. I grew up not seeing a stranger in anyone. That terrified my mother but my father understood. He had said that I could see goodness in everyone, and maybe I could before they had died. But then the accident happened and my world changed into one where people could disappear in a moment. But still I never feared anyone. The world was darker, but I was safe because there were always others who would be there for me.

Until now. Until I met someone who was invisible to the one person who could protect me. If I could really see goodness in anyone, I could not see any in Amun. His eyes were as cold as his heart. His most casual touch made me feel more violated than Anubis seeing me naked. My first kiss, which should have been a memory of first love, was the most terrifying experience in my life. The numbness was fading, and with my fear came a burning anger. I hated him. More so than anyone I have known. Even more than the bullies who drove Andy to suicide and Anubis' heart-stealing mother.

Because he knew. He knew exactly how to get under my skin. He knew what to show me so I would never reveal what had happened to Anubis. That warrior's wish had come true. Death had come, and I knew him. It was the body of the boy I see every day. The face of a dog that had been in my dreams since he had broken into my home. It was the crude drawing of a bizarre god my parents happily pointed to and explained to me. That moment had happened to someone else. I knew that, but because I had lived through it myself I couldn't shake the memory

of Anubis coming forth to deliver my death.

* * *

My most embarrassing moment happened during graduation rehearsals from middle school. The teachers had told the students not to cheer, so of course they did. Well, only the popular kids were cheered for, which irritated me. I watched my few friends walk across the stage in silence, and then watched some of the worst of our class celebrated. Andrew had been booed by the celebrated. It was disgusting.

Then it was Keylyn Shin's turn. I had bonded with her during the two years she was in our school. Once she graduated there, she was going back to Korea. I would miss her, but I wanted her to remember us fondly. I wanted her to know we would think of her no matter how far she was. I yelled out a cheer. Alone.

Everyone turned to stare at me. There were no whispers or reprimanding from the teachers. Only 300 pairs of eyes and silence. My face burned and I spent the rest of the ceremony staring at the floor.

But as embarrassing as that was, it was nothing to how awkward it became between Keylyn and me. I had not only embarrassed myself, but her as well. We could never seem to start a conversation after that. The few exchanges we had were painfully polite and filled with long pauses. She left the country without giving me a goodbye.

That was exactly how awkward I felt around Anubis now. When I had made it clear that I didn't want to talk about what happened at Machu Pichu, he didn't bring it up again. But it was always on our mind. Our few exchanges were short, polite, and full of long pauses in between. Sometimes when I would look up from a crossword or from cooking I would catch Anubis quickly looking away. I felt horrible for keeping secrets from him, but more than anything I didn't want to add to his problems. He was still sleeping more than usual from the guilt that was weighing down his heart. Not to mention we still had other heart pieces to find. I would deal with Amun myself and make sure Anubis got his heart back.

For a week we sailed over endless blue oceans. It was cool the first two days to see so much open space. After a while, however, I had enough of everything being blue. I missed green. So when we sailed over the French Polynesia, my face broke into a stupid grin.

We stopped for food, but it was also time to decide where to go next. We were all in the bridge. I had brought with me a giant burlap bag filled with mangos. I was on my fifth mango, enjoying the sweet flavor. Paws was next to Anubis giving me glares for not bringing any meat for him. Anubis had been observing the map for well over half an hour, not saying a word. I was starting to think he had forgotten about me when he waved for me to come over.

"I think it would be best to do two rounds around the Earth. We already have to go back for North America. We might as well divide the countries we search in half to simplify this."

Anubis did a really cool trick. With two fingers tracing the map, the countries he touched would glow and rise from the map making mountains and valleys form. He swiped his hand over the main lands of Asia, Africa, and Europe. "We'll take care of the large chunks of land first." He ran his hand over the map again and all the tiny islands scattered everywhere glowed yellow. "Then we'll take care of the islands on the second time around."

I never realized how many islands there were and many were easy to overlook. His plan was reasonable enough. Even if it took longer, it was better than missing a place where the jar was and not know where we missed it. I studied the green and yellow glowing countries and noticed something.

"I like the idea, but can we go to Japan the first trip?"

"Why?"

"I'm dying from being away from a computer so long. Japan probably has the most advance technology in the world. I want to see if I could find a portable device to play with." I touched the spot where Japan was. I strange sensation ran through my fingers when my hand met. It felt as though cool water was shooting up my arm from under my skin. When I pulled away the small island I had touched changed from yellow to green. "Sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

Anubis was looking at the map with a confused expression. Before I could apologize again, he looked at me and asked, "What's a… whatever device?"

"A portable device?" I said taken aback. He nodded now looking curious. "Umm, it's an electronic you can carry with you, like a cell phone or a DS. And I can tell I'm only confusing you more…" It was true. Once I got past 'electronic' his expression became more and more baffled. As the silence stretched, the awkwardness that had plagued us crept back in. My mind stammered till I could think of what to say. "I'll show you when we get there, I guess… We will go to Japan, right?"

Anubis returned his eyes to the map. "You marked it."

"Ok, umm," I stammered, "I think I'm gonna head to bed."

Paws barked in annoyance. Anubis said, "Could you feed paws before you do?"

"Sure," I replied heaving the sack of mangos. "Come on, Paws!" He happily trotted after me.

Night had already fallen. I stared into the stars and found the moon, a small slimmer of light in the sky. I had forgotten till now about the night I saw Anubis' eye color change in the moonlight. I felt like that had happened a century ago rather than a couple of weeks. I wanted to ask him about it, but I knew I wouldn't be able to for a while. There had been a lot of things I've wanted to ask but never did.

I got Paws his food and left him in the kitchen. I was so relieved to see my bed that I fell straight into it. It would have been easy to fall straight to sleep but I didn't. Maybe it was stress from our last trip, but I had managed to fall under the same spell as Anubis. I had been sleeping in more than usual and I have fallen asleep a couple of times in the living room. Sleeping was a lot easier than being awake. Even so, I forced myself to get ready for bed.

With the lights out, I snuggled into my blankets. My ears rang from the silence, but I tried to imagine that our boat was in water and it was the sound of waves crashing against it. I began to sink into sheets and waves, sinking deeper and deeper…

A hand lifts me from the waves. I try to push it away so I can go back to the ocean, but the hand grabs me. I'm disoriented in the water, and then I found blankets and lots of darkness. The only light was two golden eyes staring at me. I blinked trying to focus in the darkness.

"Nakia, wake up," Anubis' voice said.

I rubbed my eyes trying to see the boy in my bed. "What is it?" I asked groggily.

"I need your help with something." It took a moment to understand, and then I was trying to get up. Before I could prop myself on one elbow Anubis' hand grabbed my face. In a whisper he said, "Sleep now. Leave this world behind."

And I slept.

* * *

_Author's Notes: I'm posting this a bit earlier than I should, but my back is killing me from the concert so I haven't felt like writing. It was worth it since I got front row._

_I'm spending some time on character development. It would be unrealistic if they found jars every place they went. If you think the story about Nakia's parents is highly unlikely, it's actually based on a true story. My father fell in that water fall when he was 13. My grandpa had to pull him out. I always thought it was amazing that my mother from Alaska and father from Paraguay met and got married. They inspired Nakia's parents a bit._

_I'm very excited to have properly introduced Amun. I'm making him look like a bad guy, but he's actually a very awesome god. But he's a huge narcissist. He was so full of himself that he was born out of his will to exist XD_

_To Rick Riordan readers: I feel like I need to mention this. I made the unfortunate mistake of reading the first chapter to his second Egyptian book online today. He's a great writer and all, his characters are amazing, but he just doesn't get all his facts right and twists some of the legends. So, if you read it, I would like you to know that Osiris was not painted with blue skin. Either Rick is color blind or he mistook Amun for being Osiris. Osiris was painted with _green_ skin. It was a color symbolic with life (Egyptians believed Osiris to be a corn god that made their crops grow). Amun was painted blue, which symbolized his mysterious being. And further, just in case, jackals are not black. Anubis was painted black to show he had decaying skin (they didn't have the art materials or abilities to give him realistic rotting flesh). Hopefully he'll do better in this book, but seeing as he already has a mistake in chapter 1, I'm not too hopeful -.-_

_~Oishii  
_


	8. Urges to Kill

**Chapter 8: Urges to Kill**

_'I am going to kill Anubis'_, was my first thought.

I wasn't sure what he did to me. Whatever it was, I had a feeling it involved either LSD, heroine, or crack because I felt entirely insane. I was having an out-of-body experience. My new body was made of bright light and was very bulky. My arms were much bigger than they felt and I couldn't find my legs under my belly. From somewhere faraway I knew I was still breathing and I had a heart that was still beating. It wasn't in this body. It was in the body I had left and the only proof I had that it still existed was the part of my mind that told me it was still alive.

The hallucination had brought me to the _duat._ I was underneath the tall, black scale in the large parlor. I couldn't get up from the ground. My strange body just wobbled as I struggled. There were other gods around, but they were too absorbed in their own business to notice me. I was panicked, flapping my arms as my instincts told me to do. Everything was much larger than I had remembered. I was small, weak, and vulnerable to the larger creatures wandering around here. I felt alone and frightened, and being in this alien body only reminded me of the last time I had been in a body that wasn't mine, diseased, dying. Fear tugged hard on me.

Then an enormous hand came down on me. In my fright to get away, I squawked. The hand froze. I squawked again, but from surprise that I was squawking. The large hand came again. Instead of grabbing me as I had thought, it petted me gently on the head. Then a voice I knew said, "Calm down. You're alright."

I looked up at the owner of the hand. Anubis had turned into a giant who was crouched down on the floor but still towering over me. He was hesitant but trying to be gentle. I started squawking angrily remembering how I had landed here. Emotion left him, but he continued to watch me as he tucked his hands between his knees. "Unless you want to stay a bird, you should calm down."

A bird? I looked down again at the light that made my body. The arms I thought were bulky were actually covered in feathers. When I bent down I could see thin chicken feet under my belly. I wanted to complain more at Anubis for making me a bird, but I didn't want to stay this way. I tucked in my wings and stood still while managing to glare hatefully at him. Undeterred, he said, "Okay, now close your eyes. Think about what your old body felt like and will yourself into that form."

_Will myself into the form?_ I didn't know how on earth I would manage that. Either way, I wasn't getting anywhere like this. I closed my eyes as he instructed. I thought about my body, but I couldn't remember how it felt in that body while I had chicken feet. I decided to start small. I began at the toes and thought of the feeling of wiggling them in sand. Then I thought about how I would wiggle my foot to get them into my boots. I remembered the ache my legs would get after a long run. I went up to my stomach that I could feel in another place was still full of mangos. I thought of how easy it was to pick things up with my human hands. I went all the way to my head and when I opened my eyes, the world became smaller and I was in a human body again. I was sitting on my knees with Anubis eye level with me.

Whatever calm I had achieved to change back was gone. I raised my hand to hit Anubis. When I swung, it went straight through him. I blinked and tried to hit him again. And again. No matter how many times I tried my hand went through him. All the while Anubis stared at me puzzled. He gave me a look like you would give a crazy person, which was probably how I looked right now. At the end I was panting, not because I had lungs – I didn't at the moment – but from my frustration. I blurted out, "Why can't I hit you?"

"You're not trying hard enough," he had the nerve to reply.

"Yes I am!"

"Why are you trying to hit me?"

"For coming into my room and doing… doing whatever you did to me!"

"I released you _ba_."

"I'm not a sheep!"

"Huh?" He cocked his head and looked completely lost. I stared back equally lost not knowing what we were talking about anymore. It took a moment to realize I said something really stupid while shouting the first thing that popped in my head. Embarrassed I said, "Forget it. You said you need help with something?"

"It's Thoth who needs you, actually," he said as he stood up. "Come with me." He offered his hand. I took it and stood up with him.

We walked in silence. Everything here looked entirely the same as the first time I came yet this visit felt so different. For one, instead of following timidly behind Anubis, I walked beside him feeling completely at ease even around all these gods. Perhaps it was because I had already met several gods already or because I was more at ease with Anubis that I felt comfortable here.

Also, though I was in a human form, I still didn't feel completely human. I had no need to breathe and felt no heart pounding in me. As I looked at my hands I noticed that, although they were the same as they usually were, the light wasn't casting shadows or highlights on me as they should. It was as though my body was being illuminated by something that was only affecting me but not the space around me.

We came to the door to Thoth's office. The same as before, Anubis walked in without a single knock. As he opened the door I heard a child's voice say, "But I checked them and they're working fine. Ra even filled them up yesterday. You're the only one that's having problems."

The inside of his office was as disorderly as ever. Thoth was sitting at his desk, his glasses glowing blue from the light of his computer monitor. Beside his desk standing on a tall stack of books was a young boy. He looked like he could be seven or eight. He was dressed in long robes of pure white. He had untidy black hair and striking silver eyes the color of the moon. He looked over when we came in and a boyish grin broke into his face. He started to bounce as he pointed at us and exclaimed, "Look! Look, Thoth! They're here!"

Thoth came around the desk to us, followed by the boy hopping off the books after him. He smiled politely and said, "It's good to see you, Nakia." He turned to Anubis. "Thanks for bringing her."

"Sure," he replied looking bored.

"If you could come over here," Thoth waved to me. I immediately obeyed. My memory had betrayed me. I thought I would be prepared this time to not be lulled by his silky voice, but it was as if his voice had grown more alluring.

Following Thoth, the young boy kept looking back at me with great curiosity. I had never seen a boy with such a sweet face before. He made children chosen for covers of parenting magazines look painfully average. He looked like he was holding back something he wanted to say. Until we weaved around the paper stacks to Thoth's desk did the boy finally blurt out, "Are you really still alive?"

"Um… I should be…" I stammered.

He gave me an angelic smile I couldn't help to smile back. "Wow! You're the first living human I've seen in seven millennia! I wish I could have seen you when you came with your body."

"My lord, if you could," Thoth said to the boy.

"Sorry," he pouted.

I came to the front of his desk but Thoth waved for me to come around to him. "What do you need me for," I asked apprehensively but curious.

"This," he said gesturing to his computer.

My eyelids dropped and I froze from how nostalgic this felt. If there is one thing I have learned it is this: when a person knows someone who is good with computers, whether it be a relative, friend, or neighbor, they will always seek them first when something goes wrong. It can be both wonderful and annoying. I have made good money helping people out. I even made fifty dollars from an old lady down the street when it turned out the power cord came unplugged from her wheelchair running over it. She was so relieved she gave me the money and refused to let me leave without it.

But sometimes it really got annoying. Not all problems I could fix. If I couldn't, I would often receive the frustrated ranting of my neighbors who had no choice but pay good cash somewhere else. Molly, however, was undeterred when I couldn't fix her laptop. For the hell of it, we followed an obscure rumor for fixing it by sticking the motherboard into the oven. To our great surprise, it had worked. Molly gained two months time to buy a new one before it gave out again.

It seems that even the gods were no exception to this rule. I have had my _ba_ or whatever dragged into the _duat_ all to fix a computer. I sighed, resigning myself to my fate. "What are you having problems with?" I asked in a flat tone.

"It won't start, and when it does I get this." He brought the monitor from sleep mode and everything on the desk glowed blue.

"The blue screen of doom…" I whispered.

"Doom?" the little boy explained.

"I'm sure it's not the type of doom you're thinking of." I was in my brainiac mode now taking a seat in Thoth's chair.

"Can you fix it?" Anubis asked from across the desk.

"This may be beyond me. I don't have the equipment to look into where the error is occurring. Umm," I rubbed my forehead in thought. "Let's turn this off and look under the hood. Anyone got some screwdrivers?"

The boy suddenly bounced in one place. "Oh! Me! Me! I'll get them!" He leapt off his book pile and ran to the door.

Thoth shouted out, "Please be careful while you run!" A small voice called, "Okay!" from outside the door. Several seconds later we heard shrieks of surprise and a voice saying, "Sorry!" Thoth shook his head.

"Who gave him caffeine?" I asked amused.

"Him? He is just glad to have something useful to do. I should have never informed him of my situation. He gets so wound up when there's a problem he can't sort out."

"He would have found out anyway," Anubis said while sitting on a small pile of old books. "I promised him he could meet Nakia the next time I brought her here."

"When was that?" I asked trying to think of a time Anubis had been gone long enough to go to the _duat_.

"Not long after I brought you here. I may be traveling the world, but that doesn't mean I can drop all my responsibilities."

"Anubis is always using his _ba_ to get here. I hardly see him in his body anymore," Thoth added.

"What is a _ba_?" I asked but as I did a cry came from the door.

"I got it!" The young boy came running holding up his robes to not trip over them. His head was all that was visible as he strained his arm to hand me the box of screwdrivers. "Here you go~!"

"Thank you," I replied and he smiled. As I removed the power cord, the boy climbed up his books, pushed away some paper piles, sat on the desk, and watched me unwaveringly. Thoth looked like he wanted to tell the boy off for sitting on his desk but held his tongue. Anubis was out of my sight but I could hear a clinking that sounded like paperclips.

"What were you guys talking about?" the boy asked.

Thoth pushed his glasses up his nose and replied, "Nakia asked what a _ba_ is."

"Oh, then Anubis would be the expert on that."

"I also know a lot on the subject!" Thoth said sternly seeming offended at the suggestion of someone knowing more than him.

"You know everything – well, almost everything…" The boy's eyes drifted to the computer.

"I would like to see other gods try and keep up –" Thoth and the boy continued to bicker with each other. Another voice joined the fray and I had to strain myself to here Anubis explain, "A _ba_ is one of our souls. Although it usually stays with the body, it can leave when the body loses consciousness."

"It's only one of our souls? How many souls can you have?"

"You have five in all. For most things I do, I only deal with two of those souls; the _ba_ and _ka_. The _ka_ is your soul that keeps you alive and leaves you when you die. But even if the _ka_ leaves the body, the _ba _will stay within you."

I was on my last screw. I asked, "Is that what you do? Make sure the _ba_ leaves the body?"

I heard a shuffle and then he said, "Yes. If the _ba_ isn't released, both the _ka_ and _ba_ will suffer from the body decaying."

I got the last screw out and pulled off the cover on the modem. The bickering turned silent as they watched what I was doing.

"Wooow…," came the boy's voice. "It looks so weird on the inside."

I wasn't paying attention to him, however. The moment I pulled the cover off, the air was filled with a horrible smell. It was a combination of pennies, burnt toast, and wet dog. Then I saw the inside. What little plastic parts there were on the motherboard was melted and warped. The usual bright green of the circuit board had turned black on one side. "What the hell?" I said without thinking.

"What is it?" the boy asked anxiously. Thoth was also scuttling over to get a good look.

"This thing's completely fried…" I said as I inspected the other parts. I couldn't figure out how it had happened until I looked at the fans. My hand went straight to my forehead. "Thoth, when was the last time you've cleaned this?"

"I haven't. Was I supposed to?"

"Look at this mess!" I ripped out the fan not even caring I had snapped the latches holding it in place. The fan was barely visible underneath all the hair that was twisted inside it. It was a colorful assortment of fur that was black, gray, brown, white, short, and long with even some feathers wrapped up in the mess. Thoth took it from me and turned it in his hands. "This design is too simple. I could have invented something much more efficient than this."

"Is it supposed to have fur in it?" the boy asked.

"Of course not," I said staring sternly at Thoth. "This is what happens when you don't clean a computer with animals around. With how many animal-headed gods there are around here it's no wonder you have so much fur in this thing."

"I see…" Thoth tapped his chin thoughtfully. "And what function does the fan serve the contraption?"

"Ventilation," I replied turning immediately into computer geek mode. "The inside can get very hot with how much power it takes to keep it running. The fans make sure the temperature stays down. See those black marks. It's signs of overheating."

"Yes, a very simple concept. The Earth's atmosphere is similar if you simplify it."

The boy had been staring glossy eyed at us not understanding what we were saying. He finally asked, "Can you fix it?"

I shook my head. "Nope, this thing's fried. I might be able to salvage the data. I'll pull out the driver. You'll have to take it to a professional to see if it's still okay. Do you backup your files, Thoth?"

"Of course! I'm not completely incompetent with mortal technology!"

"Thoth is really smart!" The boy grinned up at him.

"I think you've made your opinion of me quite clear," he replied in an icy tone.

"Aw, don't be mad. I was kidding –"

"Lord Osiris!" The voice from the hall made all our heads turn. The boy suddenly panicked and scrambled to get down. "I'm not here!" he shouted as he crawled over my feet to get under the desk. A second later, a lion-headed goddess scrambled into the room. I froze from my work. I may have glance at the animal headed gods in the hall but seeing one up close was bizarre. She had gold cat eyes and bronze fur that melded into smooth skin at the neck. She was panting and I jumped when she spoke without opening her mouth. "Ah, Anubis. Have you seen your father?"

"We just had a new moon, right?" The other god nodded. "No, I haven't been staring at my feet while I walk."

"Thoth?" he asked looking desperate.

"Oh, I saw him alright." I heard the boy draw a sharp breath under me. "I sent him off to check the solar generators and he still hasn't returned. If you find him remind him that I'm still waiting for the day he decides to grace me with his presence."

The goddess trying to be respectful and leave quickly, bowed while running backwards. "Solar generators. Got it. Thanks, Thoth!" She bolted out of the room.

Thoth relaxed and glanced under the desk. "Well, that should have bought you some time."

The boy crawled out from under me. His expression was indignant as he asked, "You guys don't always talk about me like that behind my back, do you?"

"Only when you're skiving off your work," Thoth replied with a knowing smile.

The boy peeped around the desk. "Anubis?"

Anubis stood from his spot holding a strange metal mesh. "I was being honest. I really haven't been staring at my feet while I walk."

The boy blinked but then a defeated smile settled on his face. "Ma'at will be so proud of your honesty!" he said resuming the same chipper tone from before. Thoth snorted at his comment.

"Wait just a sec," I interrupted. I had been staring at the boy the whole time, my words caught in my throat. Now I couldn't keep my thoughts from tumbling out. "You're not Osiris, are you?"

That boy gave me a glowing smile. "I am Osiris."

Thoth said, "Such a formal introduction, my lord," at the same time I exclaimed, "But you're so short!"

"He ages with the moon cycle," Anubis explained while I clamped my hands over my big mouth.

"I'm still growing," Osiris said, puffing out his chest trying to look mighty but looking more like a child acting like a 'big boy'. "Come see me in a week. I'll be six centimeters taller than Thoth."

"He revels in those six centimeters," Thoth mumbled as he started to dismantle the fan I had handed him.

The gears in my head were frozen. I could only stare at Osiris till Anubis asked, "Are you finished with this thing?"

I snapped out of my trance and started fumbling for a screwdriver. "Just about…"

The room was strangely quiet while I was disconnecting parts of the computer. The only sound was the occasional murmurs of "This component is very inefficient" and "what cheap material" from Thoth. I was ten times more anxious having the boy watching me now that I knew he was Osiris. Osiris, however, was genuinely curious about what I was doing. Whenever I glanced at him, he would give me a smile that reminded me of the Anubis before I found his grief. I tried not to look over at him again.

Finally, I was done and handed Thoth the driver. "Take this to a technician and tell them the situation. They'll tell you whether the data is okay."

"Excellent. Thank you." Thoth took the driver, hungrily staring at it like he wanted to take this apart too.

"Also," I added severely, "get some compressed air cans and clean your computer from now on. In your case, I would say once every month would be best."

"It will be attended to," he replied distressed. He was now observing the dismantled modem.

"Ready to go?" Anubis asked.

"Um, sure…" I wondered how exactly I was going to go back. There was a tug on my sleeve. I turned to find Osiris' silver eyes steadily looking into mine.

"It was really great to meet you, Nakia. And thank you for believing in me."

"Huh?" He pointed to my neck and I remembered the amulet. "Um, you're welcome, but I didn't really believe gods existed before I met Anubis."

"You still believed in my power, though. You wore my amulet believing in the connection to the _duat_ and your parents, right?" He laughed at my stunned face. "That's enough, really."

Before I could reply, Thoth started shooing Osiris to the door. "Nakia is leaving and so should you."

Osiris whined, "Aww, but it's so much harder to work while I'm this small. Every moon cycle, as soon as I finish teething, everyone expects me to do everything – " They left the room, Osiris still complaining.

The silence in the room pressed against my ears once they were gone. I knew Anubis was standing next to me but I didn't look at him. I stared at the door to the hallway as I said, "Hey, Anubis? What did happen to my parents after they died? They're here in the _duat,_ aren't they?"

I stole a glance at him. He was staring at me, conflicted eyes watching as he thought of what to say. His eyes turned blank, the emotion slipping instantly from him. He raised his hand to my face and said, "Return and wake in your world."

And I did.

* * *

I woke in my bed. Total darkness filled the room. I was painfully aware of my body. It felt uncomfortable and achy compared to the last form I was in. My body was very heavy and I couldn't manage to lift my arm up. Panicked, I tried my other arm and smacked my hand on the bed's backboard with my effort to lift it. _That's odd_, I thought. I felt around in the darkness to see why my other arm was so much heavier.

My hand found a mound of messy hair below my neck. Dumbfounded, my hand found an ear and chin before my drowsy mind could put meaning to them. A person was lying on top of me. I shouted in surprise and pulled myself away in from the intruder. In my haste, I fell off the bed taking the blankets with me. I untangled myself from the mess, my shock making all my movements very quick and awkward. My hand groped for the switch to the bedside lamp. A click and I could see the room again.

On my bed where I had been just a moment ago was Anubis lying on his stomach fast asleep. My mind was numb, and then it came back. I stood up quickly, my blood pounding hard from anger and embarrassment. It was one thing to send my _ba_ to the _duat_ without warning, but why couldn't he get out of my bed before sending his own _ba_? I grabbed his arm and leg with a great impulse to throw him off the bed. I almost did, until the memory of my attempts at hitting him cam fleeting to the forefront. I hesitated then, guiltily letting go of him. Instead, I grabbed my pillow and blanket and stormed out muttering, "You'll think again about pulling that trick after I burn your lunch tomorrow."

* * *

"Modern civilization! How I've missed you!"

After six days of twisting over barren parts of Russia we finally made a stop in Japan. We got off in a deserted rural area far outside Tokyo. We had walked to the train station and have been on route to the center of downtown Tokyo. Paws was very restless through the trip. We had to use Ma'at's amulet to trick the train workers into letting him on as animals aren't allowed onboard. To keep a low profile, we told him to stay still in his seat. My hand was permanently attached to his ears trying to soothe his cries of boredom.

The scenery that had once been neighborhoods was now filled with skyscrapers. I started bouncing in my seat in excitement making Paws yelp with the desire to stretch his legs. Anubis took over scratching his ears, his eyes staring blankly out the window as he has through the whole ride. I never knew I would miss the modern world as much as I did now. I missed seeing paved streets filled with people dressed in normal clothes, walking into stores inside buildings and not stands sitting on the side of a dirt road. And it wasn't really just seeing the city, because we have passed a fair number of cities before. It was being with the people, the normal humans I know of, that has left me longing for the modern world.

At last a female voice announced that we were arriving at our station. Some of the passengers, mostly the ones around my age, started to gather around the doors. I started when Anubis tapped my shoulder.

"Jeez, you scared me!"

Undeterred he said, "Follow me out the station with Paws. I'll keep ahead so no one will notice him."

"Yes, sir. Hear that Paws? Don't go running away just because you want off the train." Paws gave me a disdainful look as though it was an insult to suggest he would do such a thing.

Outside the station we walked into the crowd. After so many quiet days it sounded very noisy in the city. The square was full of younger people hanging out or waiting by themselves. Some business men were making their way out the station, briefcases swinging by their sides. Paws was drawing a lot of attention as he trotted happily next to me. Weaving through the people, I saw many stores; fast food, clothing, and music shops. I was itching to spend my 'allowance'.

We passed by a statue that made me stop. It was a large statue of a sitting dog facing the station. Many people were gathered under it all of them seeming to be waiting by themselves. I said to Paws, "That's what we need. Giant statues of you like this one."

He barked at me and ran at the statue. With his front paws resting on the statue's mantel, he started to bark at the dog as though he were talking to it. The bystanders all started to laugh at him. By the pleased way he looked at them, I knew he had done it just for this reaction. I gently tugged on his tail to get his attention. "Alright. Enough joking around. We need to catch up to Anubis."

But it was very hard to find him in this crowd. Every time I saw copper colored hair amongst all those with black hair, my heart would leap for it to only be someone with bleached hair. I started to panic as images of Anubis dead on his knees before a waterfall raced in my mind. I called out his name as I searched. Many heads turned to look at me but I didn't care. Paws' nose on the ground, he barreled past me from a scent he caught. I ran after him. As I caught up, I heard him.

"Let go."

I broke through a group of people and saw him. He was bent forward, his head locked in a pin by a taller person who was knuckling his head vigorously. His back was to me so all I could see was his blonde hair shining brightly against his tan skin. The other boy was laughing excitedly.

"Where have you been, man? I haven't seen you in decades!"

Paws joined the fray, growling at the boy holding Anubis in a head lock. The boy stopped taking notice of Paws.

"Think I smell tasty, pup? Try to take a bite and you'll regret it."

"Let me go now or I'll tell him to," Anubis replied. Despite his words, he had no trace of anger at all in his voice. As feeble as his threat sounded, the boy complied and let him go, taking a step back and turning towards me. His eyes caught mine. If Osiris' eyes had been bizarre, it was nothing to this boy's. His left eye was the same silver color of Osiris'. However, his right eye was golden yellow, making his appearance very off balance. He held his gaze with me for only a second before swiftly turning his back on me.

I made my way to them. As I got closer I heard the boy whispering to Anubis, "Don't look now but I think a human is watching us." Rubbing his neck, Anubis glanced at me. His face was blank, but at the sight of me some relief showed through.

"It's okay. She's with me."

The boy looked stunned. His eyes spun back to me, appraising me with speculation. Up close, this boy looked like a super model. Besides his handsome face that seemed to be a common trait with gods, he was dressed in tight fitting clothes that showed off his muscle. His hair was a bit long, but was cut with many choppy layers that looked very stylish. Unlike Anubis and I, who keep our amulets under our shirt, the chain around this boy's neck showed off his amulets. He had three. Two were the same as mine; the amulets of Thoth and Osiris. The other was the eye of Horus. Eye of Horus…

"You're not Horus, are you?" I asked.

The boy shared the same look of surprise with me as he had given to Anubis before. "Have we… met?" he asked.

I shook my head as Anubis said, "Nakia, this is my little brother, Horus."

"Who you calling little?" he snapped quickly at Anubis. Without waiting for a response, he turned to me, all anger and speculation gone from his face. Instead, he smiled at me as though I was someone he had been excited to see. "Nice to meet ya! Nakia, is it?" He held out his hand for a hand shake, but it was more like clenching hands than shaking. Before I could reply, he was back to badgering Anubis. Horus had his arm around his should in a strong grip as he spoke.

"Never thought I would run into you here. What've you been up to? I see you still look like a total zombie."

He did, in fact, look like a zombie. Whatever emotion he would be expressing now was entirely absent. Anubis was half-heartedly trying to get out of Horus' hold but gave up when he made a stronger grip. Anubis monotonously said, "I'm still looking for my heart, as usual. Why are you here?"

"I just got done meeting Wadjet at Hachiko. She left to follow a lead on Set. I've got some free time before she gets back to me. We should hang out!"

"That's fine. Nakia's here to do some shopping."

"Really?" Horus replied turning to me. "Whatcha buying?"

"Umm, a portable handheld…" I said unsure if he shared the same ignorance to electronics as the other gods I've met. He did seem to stop to think this over, but surprised me with his response.

"Ever thought of how you'll charge it?"

"….. Aw crap…" I had not thought about it, but now it seemed obvious. The boat had no outlets at all.

Horus grinned at my crestfallen expression and patted my shoulder. "There, there. It's a good thing I found ya. I can help you get whatcha need."

We set out into the city. Horus ended up being a lot of help. Not only did he find a solar panel for me, but he seemed to know which store to buy them, as well as every electronic store in the area. I soon found myself with a touch tablet that thankfully had an English setting.

The rest of the afternoon we spent browsing other stores. Horus was an easy person to get along with. Although he was a bit arrogant and overly charismatic, he was very kind and always courteous. I also noticed that he had a sort of admiration toward Anubis. He hung on to his every word and if Anubis told him to do something, even to shut up, he did so without question. Horus was enthusiastically determined to cheer up Anubis, which seemed fruitless with how unemotional he had been since coming to Tokyo. Slowly, however, Horus managed to draw out Anubis' old smile. This surprised Horus more so than me. He froze the first time Anubis smiled. A few moments later, though, he looked very proud of himself.

As the sky changed with the approaching night, Horus led us to a place to eat. As we walked, Horus was excitedly talking to Anubis about the last time he 'pounded' Set. " –and I thought I was gonna lose to him this time, so I just threw caution out the window and used my last bit of power to –" Anubis was rubbing his neck again listening quietly. Horus had nearly choked Anubis earlier with a gold necktie he _had_ to try on for 'old-time's sake'. Paws had stuck by my side the whole day. He didn't seem to approve of Horus.

"By the way," Horus said after finishing his tale, "why is Nakia keeping you company if you don't mind me asking?"

"She has been helping me find my canopic jars. She can sense them," Anubis replied.

"You don't say…" Horus scrutinized me. "You're pretty brave to be hanging around us gods."

I shrugged. "Not really brave, just stubborn."

He barked a laugh. In an instant his attention was back to Anubis as though I had just disintegrated. "So how many you got back now?"

"Five."

"Awesome! So you've had interest and confusion. What new ones ya got?"

Anubis stared into the sky as he used his fingers to count the jars. "There was those two. Then several years ago I got my sadness. A month ago Bitou led me to Nakia and another jar with my happiness. And just last week she found my guilt."

At the last remark Horus busted into a laughing fit. I glared incredulously at him surprised by his rude reaction. Anubis also seemed taken aback by him. After some time, Horus finally composed himself enough to speak.

"You finally got your guilt back… ha ha… I guess your eatin' your heart both ways now, huh?" At this Anubis' hastily avoided looking at Horus.

"What do you mean 'eating his heart in both ways'?" I asked.

Anubis started to say, "It's an expression from Egypt that means –" but was cut off by Horus exclaiming, "Oh! You haven't told her the story about the first jar you found, did ya?"

Anubis, who had been walking between Horus and me, was yanked away. Horus took over his position throwing an arm around me. I stiffened. I felt very uncomfortable being so close to someone I had just met. Horus was very unaware of my discomfort, looking at me eagerly with his silver and gold eyes.

"I can't believe he hasn't told you. It's hilarious! So where should I start?"

"Why are you telling her? You weren't even there."

"Okay, so it was during sometime in the 1940's," Horus started, completely ignoring Anubis. "Back then he hadn't even bothered to look for his heart. If ya could believe it, he was more of a zombie than he is now. But one day he got lucky and stumbled on one. Problem was he had no idea what to do with it.

"Now, back in the old days in Egypt, we would say a person who was overcome with guilt was eating their own heart. So our genius Anubis here," he gave him a grin that was struggling to hold back a laugh. Anubis just stared blankly ahead. "–he thinks, 'Well, if I eat my heart then I'll feel guilt.' So he ate the piece of his heart."

Horus couldn't hold it in anymore and went into another fit of laughter. It didn't strike me as being so funny. The term 'eating you heart' was new and very strange. Nonetheless, hearing this bit of Anubis' history was interesting so I gave an appreciative smile to Horus.

Horus, still half laughing, went on saying, "But that's not all. After that, he of course didn't feel any guilt, just curiosity to why he wasn't feeling guilty. And when you have a question you ask Thoth, right? So he goes to the _duat_, okay, and after never speaking to him for almost half a century he says, 'I ate my heart, but why don't I feel any guilt?'"

At this, Horus was too overcome with roars of laughter. I looked over his bent forward back at Anubis and asked, "How did Thoth react?"

Without a trace of emotion in his face or voice he replied, "Much the same as Horus. It took almost five years for him to stop laughing at the sight of me. Speaking of Thoth," he said as he pulled a still laughing Horus upright, "I have a message from him."

Whipping the tears from his eyes, Horus said, "Really? What about?"

"He says the next time he sees you, you will endure his wrath."

"His wrath? For what?" he asked looking puzzled.

"For blowing up a library or something."

"Oh yeah," Horus exclaimed. "I guess he would be mad about that, but I couldn't stop myself once the idea popped into my head. He has no way of knowing I had thought it up, though. I made sure—"

"I told him it was probably you," Anubis said blankly.

The smile slipped from his face. "You told him?" he asked without masking the hurt in his tone. The look of disappointment mingled with surprise told me that this was not something Anubis would normally do. Anubis, however, didn't react at all to the change in Horus' mood. "Yeah. He threw something at my head thinking it was me. I told him it was something you would think up."

Horus looked away from him now, glaring at the sidewalk. "I can't believe you told him! I thought we had a thing going about keeping each other out of trouble. I trusted you." Then he sighed and added bitterly, "But I guess you can't trust me at all anymore. Not without your heart." He kicked a rock and it flew ahead and out of sight. An awkward silence settled with our walk. I was at a loss wanting to ease Horus' temper but not wanting to intrude into their problems. The silence was finally broken by Anubis saying softly, "Sorry."

We both looked at him. The mask of indifference was gone. In its place was an expression I had grown familiar with over the past weeks. Horus seemed at a loss of what to say. His surprise changed into a sympathetic but defeated smile. For a fleeting moment I was reminded of Osiris.

"Hey, no problem. He would have found out eventually anyway, the know-it-all. Look, I see the place ahead. See?" He pointed to one of the many signs hanging from above. "It's that blue sign there. Why don't ya go ahead and get us a table? I need to pick up something."

Without a word, Anubis continued to the restaurant. I made to follow him, but Horus grabbed me by the wrist. "Why don't ya come with me?" He led me into a small convenience store. I looked over my shoulder at the door and caught sight of Paws growling resentfully and trotting after Anubis. Horus went straight to the counter where the cashier welcomed him. "Could I have 5 boxes of the Hope Super Lights, please?"

The cashier went behind a back door out of sight. I asked, "Do you smoke?"

He laughed. "From time to time, but these aren't for me. I happen to know someone who would kill for these cigarettes and I need a favor." He had several yen bills he was turning in his hand. With a twist they turned into leaves and, another twist, back into bills. Horus seemed to be quietly contemplating before he carefully said, "I didn't have to pick these up yet, but I wanted a chance to talk to you. Well, warn you really."

"Warn me of what?" I asked.

"How do I say it? You should be careful with Anubis as you get more pieces of his heart."

I crossed my arms. "I think I can handle Anubis, thanks."

"See?" he exclaimed pointing at me. "That's exactly what I mean. Ya have a bit of a temper and, don't get me wrong, I love a woman with some bite in her, but you don't know Anubis like I do. I just have this horrible feeling that Anubis is going to accidently kill you down the road."

Stunned, I stared incredulously before managing to ask, "Has he killed other people by accident before?"

"Well, no, but he's never kept humans with him before either." He glanced away from his money at me. At the sight of my expression he raised his hands apologetically. "Hey, don't think too much on it. It's not like he's a crazy murderer like Sekhmet or something. Just watch his temper when he gets it back. Here." He started rummaging in his pocket. He pulled out something small and held it out for me to see. Immediately I recognized it as the Eye of Horus. The charm was all silver except for the eye which was gold.

"I'll keep an eye on you." Without any modesty, he pulled the chain of my necklace from under my shirt. It only took him a second to add it to my chain, his hands hiding how he had attached the amulet without disconnecting the chain. He smirked as he pulled away to admire his new addition. "Now we match. Wish I had dad's amulet in silver. Ivory is so tacky."

"What does it do?" I asked as I examined the new amulet.

"That, my dear, has very powerful protective magic. If you feel it grow hot, it means that danger is near, and that includes over temperamental jackals. It can block some magic, but not all, so don't get overconfident wearing that."

"I won't. Thanks. So Anubis has a bad temper, huh?"

"_Nasty_ temper. It's just like with dogs, though. If you provoke them, they will bite you. Treat them kindly, and they can be quite lovable. Not that you should treat him like a dog. I've been trying to teach him to roll over for a long time but he won't do it." He chuckled with a distant look.

I eyed him doubtfully. "You tell _me_ not to provoke him, yet I highly doubt choking him with neckties and telling him to roll over wouldn't do it."

"That's different. For one, I'm immortal so I can take a bite or two. Second, he happens to be very loyal to me. Well, okay, he isn't now but he will be once his hearts whole again." He looked sadly out the window. I started to wonder why it was taking the clerk so long.

As Horus had his mind elsewhere, I thought of Horus' shock at Anubis ratting him out to Thoth. I remembered that in that moment in Thoth's office the only emotion he showed was the pain of having a stapler thrown at his head. It was strange to think that that event would have been different had he been himself. I wondered what other thing may have happened differently if Anubis had his trust. I couldn't imagine it, which only confirmed how little I knew him, as Horus had said. For all I knew, I thought gravely, nothing would have changed because Anubis had no reason to put his trust in me.

I jumped when Horus suddenly spoke in the middle of my thoughts. He had turned to stare at me more seriously than I've seen him. "You have to get his heart back, Nakia. It's just not right that he has to live like this. Without you, it may take him several more centuries to get it back. Keep yourself alive, okay?"

"Of course."

He focused on me for another second, then went back to grinning, all the tension of the moment dissipated. "Good. That's all I wanted to say. He got lucky when he found ya. I bet we can expect Anubis to be back to normal within a couple of years. A decade at most."

Horus patted me on the back. He looked up at the back door half a second before the clerk emerged. "I'm sorry for the wait, sir. I managed to find the last boxes we have."

"It's no problem. Your timing is perfect, actually," he replied beaming. As he paid for the cigars, I had a feeling that Horus wasn't surprised the cashier's timing allowed him to say everything he wanted. As he pocketed his change, he said with enthusiasm, "Let's not keep Anubis waiting. Just wait till ya see where we're eating. This is gonna be hilarious."

Without further ado, he quickly left the store without a second glance. Curious, I followed at my own pace wondering what 'hilarious' thing had him so excited. I was several feet from the door when, for a second time, someone caught me by the wrist. "Why don't you stay with me a moment?" asked a boy's voice behind me. I wheeled around.

I quickly snatched my hand away at the sight of Amun. He was watching me with that same haughty smile he always wears. Angry and fearful, I covered my mouth with my hands. He laughed at me. "Did I scare you? Trust me; the last thing on my mind was kissing you. I'm not a pervert, after all."

I glared at him, but lowered my hands to retort, "I doubt that. You seemed perfectly comfortable molesting Anubis at Machu Pichu."

"Ah, but it's more amusing when they can't see you. It was quite worth it to see the look on your face."

"I'm leaving." I turned away despite not wanting my back to him. I walked straight to the automatic doors, but they didn't open to my approach. Perplexed, I tried to pull the door open, but it wouldn't budge. I rounded on Amun. "Open the door."

He chuckled. "You should ask someone who works here." He leaned against a shelf, watching me. His hair looked whiter under the florescent lighting than the times I had seen it outdoors. I was breathing heavy as though I had been running laps. With more volume than necessary I asked, "Why are you here? In the neighborhood again?"

"Not at all. I found our last encounter so amusing I've decided to follow you." He smirked at my appalled expression, and continued, "I didn't have to come here, but I wanted a chance to talk to you. Well, warn you really."

"Don't mess with me," I said through gritted teeth.

He wore a fake expression of hurt. "I'm being very serious. You need to be more careful. There are other gods other than Anubis who have _nasty_ tempers."

"If I get on your nerves so much, you should just leave me alone."

"I was talking about Horus the Child, actually," Amun replied indifferently. He stepped towards me and I instinctively covered my mouth once again. Amun, however, quickly reached into my bag and snatched my new tablet from it. He turned it around in his hands observing it with little interest. "You're very talented at getting other gods to give you gifts. Too bad Horus' gift won't be much help to you now. He can't protect you from what he can't see."

He glanced at my amulet and annoyance flashed on his face. It was the first time I had seen Amun with any sort of unhappy expression. But as quickly as it came, it was gone. He smirked at me. "Sorry to break the news to you, but its better that you don't live under the illusion that that little trinket will make you safer." He threw the tablet to me and I quickly caught it.

"Watch it!"

"So sorry. I forgot those things are as fragile as mortals."

Annoyed, stuffing my tablet away, I asked, "Is that what you wanted to warn me about? That you're impervious to the Eye of Horus?"

"You could hardly count that as a warning. If you dropped the hostility for a second you would realize that I am only trying to be helpful."

"Helpful? You made me relive the last moments of a dying man!"

"Which was such an enlightening experience. You were under the terrible impression that the Incans were amazing. And now you're probably thinking that Horus the Child is a loving, doting brother."

"What does it matter to you what I think of Horus?" I asked contemptuously.

His grin broadened. "You don't know Horus like I do. All you see is what is on the surface, but it's crucial that you learn to look deeper than that."

"Says you."

"Precisely. If you can't do this, then you'll never understand why Anubis lost his heart." He laughed at my stunned face. "Peaked your interest, did I? You should take my advice then. I won't keep you from your dinner, though." He waved his hand and the doors behind me slid open. "There. You can go, but you would be wise to hear what I have to say."

I started backing to the door. "I'm not interested in what you have to say."

He crossed his arms and gave me a vicious smile. "You're ignorance is even worse than that stupid jackal's. At least he has his heart being ripped out as an excuse."

I walked the distance I had backed away in two long strides. Without thinking, my mind red with rage, I swung my hand at his face. It never made contact. He caught my wrist and his eyes glowed with satisfaction.

"Temper, temper," he whispered as you took my hand to his lips. The world turned black and I lost awareness of myself. The last thing I felt before the darkness lifted

is my raging desire to kill Anubis.

* * *

_Author's Notes: I have to show you what helped inspire Osiris. There's a hymn sung by Isis to Osiris and there is a line that says, _"Thou who comest to us as a child each month..."_ Since reading that I've always seen Osiris aging from childhood to old age each month. Cool, huh?_

_If you go to my profile, there is a meme I did a week ago on there. It's an OC interview and Nakia is one of the characters I choose. Check it out. There are some things about he that aren't explained in the story. It was pretty fun to do, though I've disturbed myself a little.  
_

_I have to thank my friend David for helping me with the computer stuff. He knows more about computers than I do. And, yes, I go to him first whenever there is a problem XD Anyways, my life has been crap lately. I think my writing has been suffering because of it. This chapter is fine for the most part, but the next one I'm not sure how it'll turn out. Hopefully this slump won't last. Review with your critiques please (I'm still waiting for someone to slaughter me XD)._

_~Oishii  
_


	9. Anubis Suffers from a Lost Bet

**Chapter 9: Anubis Suffers from a Lost Bet**

I hate him. I hate every single thing about him. I hate the look of him, those eyes that look at me with indifference and his hair the color of those beastly jackals. I hate the way he walks, never looking at anyone like he's better than them. And now I despise him because he won't fight back.

Ra is traveling high above us, but I don't care what he sees. The desert is sweltering, but this does not bother me. The heat from the sun only strengthens me. But the humid air is quickly drying the blood covering me. I can hear the dried blood crinkling in my hair as the wind gusts. I clutch my scimitar closer to me as I glare at the figure crippled on the ground.

The robes he's wearing were once white, but they are now black with blood. A wound to the head obscures half his face. In his deeper wounds the sun reflects light on the gold bones that are now exposed. A dark puddle is growing under him, a small sea within the sand. He will not move, not even to stand. I know he isn't dead; he should have plenty of strength left. He has given up on showing any dignity. He will only sit there like a rag doll with no life.

"FIGHT ME!" I shout raising my dirtied blade at him. He does not move, as though he does not hear me. I run at him, slashing my scimitar at his chest. A new cut joins the others, his ribs glittering in the sun. He falls to the ground. He watches me, detached, uncaring, yet determined. I hate him!

"Get up!" I yell. "Get up, you dog!" I kick him. He rolls a couple of times before coming to a stop. Sand now coats his wounds, but still he won't move. He lies on the ground watching me. Furious, I shout, "You will have to fight me sooner or later!"

"No." He answers simple, no trace of anger or suffering in him. Fire starts to spit of me. I want him to suffer, to roar in rage and feel twice the anguish I feel. But he does not react, nor does he even defend himself. No matter how much of his blood I spill, it does not affect him.

My rage mounting, I plead, "Why? Why won't you fight me?"

"I, promised her…" he says gasping from the blood in his lungs. "I promised Isis… I would, protect Osiris… I will not, fight his son…"

"Shut up!" I blast him with fire and sand explodes around him. "Don't you dare speak of him like you care! I don't want to hear it!" I walk through the blood and smoldered sand to his crumpled and smoking body. I press my foot firmly to his face. "It's your fault! He's dead because of you!"

I lift my scimitar above my head as I bellow at him, "If you hadn't been born, none of this would have happened!"

* * *

"NOOOOO!"

My rage vanished in an instant to be replaced with horror and fear. I desperately threw the scimitar in my hand. When I didn't hear it hit the ground, I realized I didn't have it anymore. In my anguish I thought, '_I already stabbed him._' But I didn't see Anubis on the ground before me, or my scimitar. The floor wasn't even sand but white tile. I couldn't figure out how I got to this place. This place doesn't belong in Egypt. Even my clothes were completely different and no longer covered in sand and blood. _ What just happened?_

"Hey, Nakia! You still here?" shouted a familiar voice behind me. When I turned around, I thought for a moment that I was looking into a mirror. However, the reflection wasn't standing still as I was. He was coming in through the door. Leaning on the wall be the door was Amun, smirking, his eyes alight with amusement. With a jolt I realized I wasn't Horus. Amun had tricked me again.

"Are you okay?" Horus asked his brows furrowed with concern. I violently jumped when he placed a hand on my shoulder. I saw blood spilling onto the sand. There was so much that the sand didn't absorb it making a black lake around Anubis. Without realizing it, I had moved away from Horus. He watched me bewildered, his hand still extended to me. Amun was laughing behind him, his eyes still trained on me. My heart was pounding, but I didn't know if it was from the burning rage from before or my own panic. Half of my mind was still in Egypt in the identity of the boy standing in front of me. He said even more anxiously, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Give me a sec…" I mumbled. As I turned my back to them, I remembered a lifetime ago Amun had said, "_He can't protect you from what he can't see._" I probably shouldn't turn my back to him, but I was in such a confused panic that I was beyond caring. I closed my eyes and started a familiar mantra in my head. _My name is Malinda. I'm a teenage girl. I'm traveling with Anubis who named me Nakia. I'm in Japan, not Egypt. Horus the Child isn't me. He's standing behind me. We were… what?_ But I couldn't remember why we came here. I vaguely remembered Amun stopping me. The only words that stuck to me were '… _I wanted a chance to talk to you. Well, warn you really._' I wasn't sure who had said it. At the very least, I knew who I was now. I turned back around to face the baffled Horus and asked, "What were we doing again?"

Taken aback, he replied, "We were going to eat, remember? Anubis already has a table for us."

"Right. That's right. We should get going then," I said, not meeting his eyes. I walked past him to the door. Amun chuckled as I passed.

"Don't forget to watch your temper," he said. I glared at him but did nothing. Hurrying out of the store, I thought I heard him say, "Good girl," but I wasn't sure. Horus quickly caught up but he kept a bit of distance from me.

"Hey! What's up? You look like you've looked death in the eyes." At my shocked expression he quickly added, "It's just an expression! I didn't mean you have."

"No, it's nothing. I was just spacing out." I looked over my shoulder and saw Amun still watching me from a distance. I quickly turned back. "So, what kind of restaurant is this place?"

He looked at me uncertainly, probably finding my subject change very unconvincing. "It's this sushi place I want to with Wadjet once. You'll see in a second. Look, are you _sure_ you're okay? I don't want Anubis to think I did anything to you."

"I'm fine. Really. I'm just hungry." I quickened my pace horribly away of how little of an appetite I had.

A single Japanese character glowed on the door. Inside, a hostess greeted us. "Welcome! Will that be a table for two?"

With a glowing smile, Horus replied, "We already have a table. It should be under the name 'Andrew Darnell'."

My heart stopped a beat at the name. I had forgotten that once upon a time ago Anubis had used Andy's name before. It surprised me to hear it again so suddenly from a person I had just met. The hostess gaped for a moment then blushed furiously.

"O-o-of course! Anoru… I mean, Andoruu Daneru! This way…"

She let us through the restaurant, her shoulders slumped forward. I saw the back of Anubis' messy hair as we approached. I took the seat across from him next to Paws who was sitting in his seat in a very human-like manner. Paws glared at Horus as he sat next to Anubis. The hostess stammered, "Y-y-your waiter will b-be with you in a moment," and slumped away.

I started scratching behind Paws ears. Form the corner of my eye I saw Anubis glance at me and then do a double take. I didn't look his way but continued petting Paws. "What happened to you?"

"That's what I've been askin'," Horus said.

"Nothing," I replied keeping my eyes down.

"I've seen corpses with more color than you."

With a clip in my voice, I retorted, "You sure know how to flatter a girl."

Horus snorted. The grin quickly vanished at the sight of Anubis staring him down. "What did you do?" he asked.

"I'm insulted!" said Horus. "I didn't do anything at all! She was out of my sight for two minutes. When I found her she already looked as pale as you."

"Just drop it," I said irritably. They both looked at me but said nothing. A waitress came to our table, a shy smile on her face. "Welcome to Eien! My name is Naganishi Tsuyu and I'll be your… Ma'am! We don't allow pets here!"

"Huh?" I was so used to Paws being ignored that I was surprised to see her staring directly at him. I looked to Anubis, but he seemed as confused as me. Understanding dawned on him and he stood up.

"Sorry, I forgot. Come here, Paws." Paws leaped over my lap and followed him out the door. I heard Horus murmur, "Oops," under his breath. He looked like he understood too. The waitress overcame her shock quickly and turned her back to me, her eyes for only Horus.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked.

"Three teas, I think. Is that fine with you, Nakia?"

"Sure." Without Paws to occupy me, I was now playing with my napkin. The waitress eyes darted between Horus and me with a suspicious look. My napkin suddenly became very fascinating.

"I'll bring your drinks in a moment."

Her departure left us in an uneasy silence. I didn't take my eyes way from my napkin. I didn't want to think about what Amun forced me to live through, but I couldn't rid the image of Anubis' mutilated body from my mind. I had, I mean, Horus had thought Anubis was to blame for Osiris' death, but how would that be true? I remembered the legend by heart, having it told to me so much as a child.

There was a party for Osiris. As a gift for his brother, Set made him a lavish box that only his brother could fit into perfectly. Many other gods tried, but the box was not the right size for them. Osiris was impressed and wanted to see if it would only fit him. Once inside the box, it encased him in chains and he was killed. It had all been a trap created by Set.

As far as I knew, Anubis was never mentioned in that story. I didn't even know if he had been there that day. So why had Horus said that Anubis' very existence caused Osiris' death? What was Anubis' crime to deserve such brutality? And how was it that Horus came to treat Anubis with such adoration?

"Why do you care about Anubis so much, Horus?" The words came out of me before I was aware I was saying them, but it was too late to take it back. I glanced up and found Horus' looking a bit stunned but settled into a look of amused contemplation.

"Hmm… well, it's the least I can do. He forgives me for all the stupid stuff I do. I owe him that much." He grinned looking over my shoulder. "Welcome back! I was just telling Nakia how amazing you are!" Anubis had taken a hold of the chair next to Horus, but upon hearing this declaration he settled into a seat next to me. "Now that wasn't very nice. I was being honest, or have you also forgotten how to react to a compliment?"

"Maybe I have," Anubis said indifferently. "My neck still feels rather sore."

Horus rolled his eyes. I asked Anubis, "Where's Paws?"

"He's waiting outside. I think by the time we're done he'll have a good plan on how to get his teeth into Horus."

"I can take the pup," Horus said with a smirk.

"Why can't you hide him from the waitress?"

"Horus and Ma'at don't see eye to eye, so who won't offer her power if he's around."

"She thinks I'm a lying delinquent that will bring the Earth crumbling to its knees," Horus said.

"She's about as forgiving of Horus' pranks as Thoth," Anubis added.

"Ah. Poor Paws." I started tugging at my napkin again.

"Here are your drinks," the waitress said with a sweet voice shoving my drink to me more forcefully than the others. "Are you ready to order?"

"Allow me to order for us." Horus went on to give a long list of food for us. The waitress seemed quite pleased to have Horus' full attention. I was also watching Horus. I didn't like what Horus had done to Anubis and I didn't understand his reasons for it. It made me angry to think of it, but Horus had never shown anything to prove he still harbored those feelings towards Anubis. Anubis seemed to have forgiven Horus for whatever happened between them. If Anubis could forgive him, I should as well. I didn't want to hold a grudge over something that didn't have to do with me. There was even the possibility that it was all made up. I wouldn't put it past Amun and his twisted way of 'helping'.

The waitress bowed and left. Horus was chuckling to himself. His face wore the same mischievous look he had at the convenience store. On second thought, maybe Thoth and Ma'at had a point. Anubis appeared to be thinking along the same lines. "What are you laughing about?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Horus raised his eyebrows looking sweetly innocent. "You'll see. It's not a big deal. So, Nakia, I can't help but notice that you're Caucasian."

"And I can't help but notice you're Egyptian, but I don't see why that's so important."

"I just want to get to know you. So what country are ya from?"

I looked at him suspiciously, but slowly replied, "America…"

Horus broke into a triumphant grin. "Excellent! Just what I was hoping for." He straightened his back and folded his fingers in front of him. He gave the appearance of a man in a powerful position about to make a vital proclamation. "I would like your assistance in a very important matter."

"No," I answered immediately.

Horus' stately façade disappeared in an instant. "I haven't even told ya what it is."

"Don't get me involved. I've heard enough about the pranks you pull. I don't want anything to do with it."

"Oh, please. The library thing was just a joke. I'm tryin' to help Thoth get a sense of humor."

"Good luck with that," Anubis said through his tea.

"You'll be next," Horus replied eyeing him. He resumed his regal demeanor and addressed me. "Actually, what I need help with is strictly work related. You see, I've been thinking in a couple of decades I would like to become the president of your country."

"You can't be serious."

"Of course I am. My position as a god is a ruler of men and that requires me to –"

"You can't," I interrupted. "You have to be a U.S. born citizen to run for president."

He waved this away. "Not a problem. I'll ask Ma'at –"

"She won't help you," Anubis interrupted this time. "You need to stop trying to get her to help you all the time. Sooner or later she's going to feed you to Apep."

"Oh please," Horus snorted. "She wouldn't go that far, not in front of dad. She'll probably throw me out of the _duat_ again."

"Who's Apep?" I asked.

"He's a _scary_ snake that lives in the _duat_," he said in a voice like a boy telling a spooky story over a campfire. "He nearly destroyed the Earth at one time. Anyway, I'll probably forge the documents –"

"Thoth won't help you either –"

"I never said I'd ask Thoth," Horus said over Anubis. "I'll figure it out, but I can't do anything till I have an alias. Now, Nakia," he turned back to me looking a bit frustrated but otherwise professional, "this is where you come in. I need a good name to use and, being from America, I'm sure you could come up with one that will one day be spoken of in great reverence. I'll even do a favor for you in return."

"Horus, don't pressure her into something she –"

"I'll do it."

Okay, I know I said I would forgive him, but that didn't mean a tiny part of me didn't want some revenge for what he did. If he likes to play pranks, then I would play his game and pull one on him. And I also couldn't imagine what it would be like to turn on a TV and see Horus on it, speaking at a podium with the presidential seal on it. One bogus name for him to run under didn't seem like that bad of an idea.

I quickly added, "You'll have to wait till I come up with one, though. I can't think of a good one on the spot."

"Of course!" he exclaimed with zeal. "It should be a name that's given much consideration. I can wait. If there is anything I have plenty of it's time. Now, is there anything I can do in return?"

"Umm…" I sipped at my tea. It may have been the topic over names that brought it to mind; a question I've wanted answered for a while. My own face revealed a mischievous smile to rival Horus. "Actually, there is something you could do for me."

I beckoned him with a finger. Curious, he leaned forward and I whispered my request in his ear. As soon as I finished, he burst out laughing, pounding his fist on the table. Everyone at the tables around us was staring. "What?" Anubis asked looking between Horus and me.

Thankfully, Horus ignored him. "Sure, I can do that. You're bound to find out eventually, anyway. Let's see, who first? I guess I'll tell you _his_ so he won't try and stop me." Horus stole a glance at Anubis as he said 'his'. Anubis' confusion deepened.

"What are you talking about?"

Horus once again ignored him and leaned over to me. He whispered in my ear. It was my turn to draw the restaurant's attention on me. The corners of my eyes burned as I laughed.

"Are you going to tell me what you're talking about?"

Through my laughing I said, "Anpu! Your lesser name's Anpu! That's hilarious!" I covered my face knowing how red I must be.

"Horus…" It was hard to tell how he was feeling, but Horus understood better than me.

"Don't start complaining. Look how happy I've made her." Horus was chuckling at me. Anubis just shook his head and stared away from us. "Are you ready for Thoth's?"

"Thoth's lesser name isn't even that strange," Anubis said without looking back.

"It isn't?" I asked regaining my composure.

Horus replied, "Not in Egyptian. But that know-it-all speaks way too many languages. He was bound to find a language his name sounds funny in. So, ya ready to hear it?" I nodded sitting up straighter. "His lesser name's Djehuti."

Once again I was overcome with laughter. I heard Horus say to Anubis, "I guess his name sounds strange in her language."

Our food came as I recovered myself. Horus had ordered enough food for twice our number. The majority of it, however, was…

"Sushi?"

"Yeah, I told ya earlier this was a sushi restaurant," Horus said while piling his plate. "Ever had it before, Nakia?"

"No. I don't even know how to eat with these things," I said holding up my chopsticks.

"Here." Anubis reached over and started positioning my hand to fit the two sticks. "Hold this one here."

"When did you learn to eat with chopsticks?"

"We learned this centuries ago," Horus answered with an air of unimportance. "Here, Anubis." There was a glint in his eyes as he pulled over a large plate. "I got you raw meat, your favorite." He stacked the plate up with thinly sliced fish. I couldn't manage to pick anything up so I watched what Horus was up to. He saw my watching them, help up a finger to be quiet and winked at me.

I waited while Anubis, completely unaware, ate a piece of raw fish. Horus scooted to the edge of his seat. I didn't know what I should be looking for, but nothing happened. Horus face sunk when Anubis ate a second piece.

"Anubis, you know that's fish, right?" Anubis nodded to him, eating another piece with a blank expression.

"I thought you had a prank set up for Anubis." I picked up my chopsticks and tried to get them positioned right.

"I did! Anubis _hates_ fish! I can't believe you're eating' that." Horus watched Anubis in disgust. Anubis paid him no attention and kept eating.

"You know, Horus, I don't think Anubis can hate yet," I told him while one of my chopsticks fell out of my hand.

Horus contemplated this. He quickly turned on Anubis snapping his fingers in front of him. "Hey, come back to Earth, zombie boy. You like me, right?"

"Yeah," he replied.

Horus smirked but continued. "You like Thoth?"

"Yeah…"

"How about Ptah?"

"Pita? Like the bread?" I asked.

"Don't interrupt! Do you like Ptah, Anubis?"

He shrugged. "A bit, yeah."

"And do you like Bast?"

"I…," He faltered and his eyes went glassy. "I don't know."

Horus slumped back in his seat nodding. "Well, that settles it. Man, it's no fun to tease you if you don't react right!" He slouched over his food very put out.

I managed to get a piece of sushi in my mouth without dropping it. One bite into it and I was gagging. I spit it out quickly and grabbed my tea to wash out the taste. Horus sniggered and said triumphantly, "Now there's the reaction I was looking for!"

* * *

Paws bounded to me the moment we stepped out of the restaurant. "Hey, boy. I got some grilled meat for you." Paws sniffed the bag and started whining in hunger. Behind me, Horus and Anubis were discussing our traveling arrangements. The sky became dark while we ate. The city glowed with the light of colorful store signs and street lamps. Despite the change of hour, many people were still walking the sidewalks. Couples held hands, a motorcycle roared by and someone's phone started ringing nearby. _Does it ever get quiet here? _

As though answering my question, Horus laughter boomed behind me. "You really need a sense of humor. Its fine, I was kidding. Just lay off my stuff in the cargo and you can use it all you like. Hey, is that you're phone that's ringing, Nakia?"

The ringing I heard earlier had grown louder as we walked. I looked around but I didn't see anyone who was searching for a cell phone. "I don't have a phone. Where's it coming from?"

"Over there!" Horus said. He pointed at a sign that read '電話' as though that was supposed to mean anything. He ran to the small stand that glowed fluorescent blue in the night. I ran over and realized it was a public telephone. It continued to ring. "I think it's for me," and without any pause, Horus took the phone off the receiver.

"How could you possibly know that?" I asked.

He put a finger to his lips and answered, "Hello? Horus speaking." He paused for a long moment. I jumped when he exclaimed, "You found him? You're amazing, Wadjet! Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

He continued to give the phone many praises. I asked Anubis, "Who's Wadjet, anyway?"

"She's the Eye of Horus," he said looking rather bored. "Horus is pretty close to her, but it's mostly for her knack at finding Set's hiding spots."

"Yeah, I'm coming' right now. Don't start without me, alright? See ya soon!" He hung up looking giddy with excitement. He swept to us and gave us both a one armed hug. Once again images of Anubis lying tattered and broken on the desert floor flashed in my eyes. I concentrated on resisting the urge to push him away. He finally let go and beamed at us. "Well, I have to get goin'. I've gotta date with our dear Uncle Set. Don't disappear for another decade, 'kay big brother?"

"I suppose," he said airily looking glad Horus let go. Horus ran off, shouting as he did, "Good luck with your search guys! I'll see ya around! And don't forget our promise, Nakia!" He rounded a corner out of sight. Several seconds and a large bird flew out of the alley and into the dark night.

"Let's get to the boat. I need some rest," Anubis said. I took one last glance behind me and followed.

The train ride back was very quiet, but we finally arrived. Once on board the boat, the solar panel Horus had helped me choose looked glaringly out of place against all the polished wood. I wanted to get in bed, but I decided I should figure out how this thing works so I could get it started for sunrise.

"Are you not going to bed?" Anubis asked as I walked past him.

"I'll be there in a bit." The door creaked slightly and I heard the jingle of Paws collar before the door snapped shut. The single panel was thin and about as tall as me. It had already been mounted to the rooftop, a cord trailing to a large box by my feet. On it was a sticky note with a message written in Egyptian hieroglyphs. I frowned at it and stuffed it in my pocket.

The generator didn't have much to it. The only thing I couldn't get was why it said it was already full to capacity. The person we bought from said it would take a week of good weather to completely charge it. I wondered if the display was glitched when I heard Paws barking behind me. He was running to me as I turned to him. "Hey, I thought you went to bed with Anubis." He continued to bark at me. "What's wrong?"

"Young lady!" said a voice beside me. I looked around not sure where the voice came from. Then, over the ledge, I saw a small boy floating on a white cloud outside the boat. It was as though someone had spilled a truck full of white-out on the kid. His skin was pale, but still looked dark against his white curly hair. He had the same silver eyes as Osiris, but they looked much colder on him. His robes were white but decorated liberally with silver stitching. Moisture was clinging to him in droplets reminding me of grass covered in dew. "I need to speak with Anubis," he called out. "Is he here?"

"Of course. I'll get him."

"Would you invite me in." It wasn't a question, but his sudden appearance had caught me off guard so I wasn't about to argue with him.

"Sure, come in. You can dry off inside."

He landed gracefully in the boat. What I had mistaken as a cloud was actually a thick mist that was pouring off him. It followed him as he walked behind me into our living room. "You can have a seat while I get him," I said gesturing to the couch. He didn't move but only stood in place watching me. After a long, awkward silence, I said, "Right. I'll… I'll get Anubis. One sec…" I crossed the room glad to be away from the boy.

"Anubis!" I shouted down the stairs. I stomped down them and saw his head poke out of his room. "Hey. Someone's here to see you."

"Who is it?"

"No idea, but he looks like a ghost."

He shook his head but followed me up the stairs. When I saw the boy standing and staring from the same spot I left him, I stepped to the side and let Anubis pass me. I glanced at Anubis' face as we entered the room and I did a double take. There for a second I thought Osiris was standing next to me, but I realized it was still Anubis. His eyes were silver again like the night in Brazil he had looked into the moon. If all his hair was black, he would look exactly like his father. When Anubis saw the boy, he tilted his head looking confused.

"Khonsu, why are you here?"

Khonsu rummaged in his pockets as he replied, "I lost a bet." He pulled out a parchment scroll and held it in front of him. The Egyptian writing on it began to glow. "Sorry about this, Anubis."

Several things happened at once. I was pushed to the side. When I hit the ground, I heard a crack and my hand seared in pain. The room went dark but was quickly filled with red light. A sound like a thousand animals crying out filled the room followed by a thud where the stairs were. Gravity suddenly pushed down on me and I felt much heavier than I had before. The lights returned to normal and it was still.

I lifted my head expecting the room to be damaged after what had happened but everything looked untouched. My vision was a bit more blurred than before, but I could still make out everything. I felt my heart plunge into my gut when I saw Anubis was gone. The only ones in the room were me and the boy.

"What did you do to Anubis?" I shouted.

Khonsu looked down at me with distaste. "Isis is in Sydney. She can lift the seal. Tell him that for me." He turned and left the room, the white mist following in his wake.

I stood up, dazed. A slow panic started to creep in, but his last words still rang in my ears. If I was supposed to deliver a message to Anubis, he must still be here. I felt the night's breeze blow in from the open door and with it Paws rushed past me. He started barking frantically at the bottom of the stairs. I followed him.

Anubis was at the bottom, but he was thankfully awake. At first glance, I thought he had black burn marks on him. When I was closer, I saw the black marks were Egyptian writing that looked like they had tattooed on him. The symbols were moving in a spiral over his skin like a black snake slithering in sand. It made me dizzy to look at him too long. Paws was urging him to sit up. He did so reluctantly. He held his hand and saw the words snaking across his skin. "Crap."

"Is it a seal?" I asked him.

"Yeah…"

"That boy said that Isis could lift it. He said she's in Sydney."

He sighed and replied, "I guess there's no other choice. Paws, you know what to do."

Paws whined and prodded him with his muzzle. Anubis gave him a rare smile. He scratched behind his ears as he said, "I'm fine. Go on." Paws ran up the stairs out of sight. When he left, Anubis started pulling off his shirt.

"Is that really necessary?" I exclaimed.

He pulled the shirt over his head and said, "I want to know who did this. Their name should be in the spell."

"I thought you knew who that boy was?"

"That wasn't Khonsu's spell. Gods don't need to write out spells. I think the magician who wrote it was also the one who won a bet with Khonsu." His whole body had the swirling characters blackening his skin. He ran a finger through them whispering as he read.

"Would the magician be human like me?"

"Yes."

"Why would they want to seal your magic?" He didn't answer but continued reading the words on his skin. His fingers stopped on a group of characters inside an oval. He sighed again and abandoned his reading.

"His name's protected, but the phrasing is familiar. Isis may know more when we see her." He passed me up the stairs and I followed. He went to the living room but I slid into the kitchen. Two of my fingers on my right hand were red and swollen. I put them on ice, hissing through my teeth at their tenderness. One handed, I pulled out two popsicles and went back downstairs. I grabbed Anubis' shirt and went off to find him.

He was in the bridge with Paws huddled around the map. I threw his shirt at him. "Please put that back on."

He raised an eyebrow but did what I asked. A trace of a smile pulled at his lips. "You know, back in Egypt I hardly ever wore a shirt."

"I don't care if you ran around naked. It's not modest to undress in front of a girl."

He grimaced slightly. With a sideways glance he asked, "What happened to your hand?"

"I broke some fingers earlier. Wanna help?"

"My magic is sealed, and I can't do healing spells anyway."

"Lucky for you it doesn't take magic to eat a Popsicle." When he stared at me confused I added, "I need the stick inside for a tourniquet."

He took the Popsicle, but instead of eating it, he held it upside-down for Paws to lick at. "If we push it, we can make it to Sydney in a day and a half. Hopefully, Isis will be sticking around for a while."

"What do we do if she's left already?"

"Then we'll go to the _duat_ and see if Thoth can lift it. His knowledge in magic is second only to Isis."

"Wouldn't it be simpler to go and ask him before heading to Australia?"

He paused staring unfocused at the map below him. "I think Khonsu pointed me to Isis for a reason."

"Then it's a trap," I stated crossing my arms.

He shrugged. "Possibly, but we won't know until we find her."

"Wonderful! I was starting to get bored. Walking into a trap sounds like a great time."

With a bit of monotone, Anubis retorted, "Whether you agree or not, we're still going."

"Aye aye, Captain," I said dull taking the drool covered Popsicle as I headed for the door. As I was leaving, I paused and poked my head in the room. "I just worry about walking into something when you can't use magic. Even gods can die."

"I have not forgotten," he said and I left it at that.

* * *

Sydney was colder than I had expected, but Anubis reminded me that it was autumn in this hemisphere of the world. When I wanted to see if the toilet flushed the other way, Anubis gave me a look that made me quickly abandon the idea. Now that we were here, we realized that finding one goddess in this huge city would need a miracle. We had been wondering around for hours not really sure how to go about searching for her. It was oddly nostalgic to be in a city with signs in English. Even names of streets and shops sounded American, but every so often a strange name like 'Woolloomooloo' would pop up.

For the past hour we walked along the many stretches of land along the canal. The boats blew their horns and seagulls cawed as we followed the blue of the ocean. We were walking down a sidewalk lined with hotels and restaurants, but across the street was a park area. Anubis had to call Paws out of trying to escape to the trees. He continued to gaze at the park from Anubis' side. As we reached a curve near the water's edge, a large white building loomed in the distance. The building was so distinct with its many pointed arcs that curved out from the structure there was no mistaking it.

"What happened here?" I exclaimed in astonishment. The Sydney Opera House's usual white appearance was scorched and obscured by the smoke billowing from it. The smoke came from a gaping hole that could have only been caused by an explosion. In the large paved area around the building were fire trucks, police cars, and media buses. Police men stood inside the taped off area. A small crowd huddled around the edges to see the damage and maybe get themselves on TV.

"We should go back," Anubis said. "There's nothing to see here."

"Right…" I was curious but I left with Anubis nonetheless. I gave one last look at the opera house when a glimmer of gold caught my eye. I froze but in seconds I was running toward the crowd.

"Nakia!" I heard Anubis shout but I didn't stop. I weaved through the people, ignoring the pain of my broken fingers as my hand bumped into them. I saw the gold hair again walking from just in front of the police line.

"Horus?" I called and he stopped long enough for me to catch up. "Horus? Oh!" I was stunned when turning around the person was not Horus, yet looked just like him. His skin was dark and he had shining blond hair that contrasted with it. Unlike Horus' hair, it was cut short to the scalp. He looked older as well, and wore a loose tank top with arm holes that ran down the sides showing his chest from behind it. Otherwise, he was the spitting image of Horus. He even had a silver and gold eye. He stared at me just as taken aback as I was. His face was confounded as though he had never seen a teenage girl before.

"Nakia?" I heard Anubis call. He was running to us but, as usual, Paws was the first to catch up. He instantly started growling at the Horus-look-alike. The man smirked at Paws and said, "Think I smell tasty, mutt? Go ahead and take a bite. I dare you."

"Oh. It's you, Uncle Horus," Anubis said among arriving.

"Hey, Anubis," he said in pleasant surprise. "What brings– Jeez! What happened to you?" He looked at the black words scrawling across Anubis' skin with a scowl.

"Khonsu's been gambling again. I got mixed up in it somehow."

"That's a shame," he turned his attention to me, eyeing me with speculation. "I don't believe we've met. How did you know who I am?"

"Oh, I didn't…"

"She mistook you for Little Horus. We met with him a couple of days ago," Anubis answered for me.

He gave me one last look before dismissing my existence and turned to Anubis. His mood rapidly changed from contemplation to delight. "So, what brings you to Australia, Anubis?"

"I need this seal lifted. Khonsu said Isis is in the city."

"You're right there. I was just on my way to meet with her. I got her a present." At this, Horus the Elder shook a plastic bag filled with blackened bits of ripped paper in front of us. "Want to come with me?"

"Thanks," Anubis replied.

Before turning to leave, Horus gave Paws and me a quick glance and added, "You can leave the dog and human behind."

"Why can't I come?" I asked in indignation. Paws barked showing he shared the same question.

Horus looked me down with a look of disgust. "This is a matter between the gods and doesn't involve you. Anubis may keep you as a pet, but that doesn't give you a higher status."

I was about to retort but Anubis held out his arm stopping me. "They both come with me," he commanded.

Horus gritted his teeth looking annoyed. He finally muttered, "Whatever," and walked on. Anubis followed him and I took a spot behind his back.

I was silently fuming as we followed Horus. It was my first time being dismissed by a god for being human. It probably wouldn't be the last time, either. A part of me couldn't help but think he had a point. If Anubis hadn't brought me into this world, I would never have anything to do with the Egyptian gods. But still, it was bad enough that I would have to die some day. He could at least be a little sympathetic about it.

"It's actually a good thing you came," Horus told Anubis as we walked. "Isis was in the _duat_ looking for you."

"Was she?"

"Yeah. We've got a bit of a situation. She seems to think you know something that will help us out. Here." He entered into the Opera Bar and followed a waiter as he escorted us to the dining area sitting against the river. There weren't many people here at this hour. One woman in particular drew my attention. Her black hair was long and curly framing her golden tan skin. One sight of her bright blue eyes and I instantly recognized her. She stood when she saw Horus. "That was quicker than I expected," she said to him.

He smirked to himself. "I got lucky. I brought company, too." He stood back to allow us in her view. At the sight of Anubis', she quickly went to him full of concern.

"Anubis, what happened to you?" she asked as she took his face in her hands.

"Hi, Aunt Isis," was all he said. Isis continued to fuss over him, feeling his forehead and checking his arms. I was taken back to a moment when I had come home covered in bruises and scratched after getting into a fight at school. My mother couldn't seem to stop touching my wounds as she worried over me.

"Who did this to you?" She asked in a more serious tone.

"Khonsu lost a bet and I must have been his wager. Can you lift it?"

She studied the marking swirling on his arm. Her eyes stopped at one of the words and she scowled. "This is a magician's spell."

"I know. It was handwritten."

"I can't lift this myself. You will have to track down the magician that created the spell. Luckily, I may have a clue to who this magician is. Come sit down." She gestured to the table she had been sitting at with a welcoming smile. The others took a seat, but when Isis pulled a chair for me I paused. "I've seen you before in the _duat_," I said. "Your hair was straight then."

"Yes, I remember passing by you that day. Please sit, Nakia."

She used my name despite having never been introduced, but I sat down without saying anything. Big Horus was glowering at Isis as she sat. "What?" she asked when she saw his face.

"Nothing. I was just thinking you're too nice all the time."

She rolled her eyes. "Did you find anything?"

"Sure did." Horus took out the bag filled with burned paper and held it to her. Isis wasted no time emptying its contents onto the table. Her face took an odd look of concentration. Her hand hovered over the pile and she spoke words I couldn't hear. There was no glowing or strange sound. The scraps of paper merely reassembled themselves into a single sheet. The soot and scorch marks faded revealing Egyptian hieroglyphs written in black ink. I couldn't read a single word of it, but I knew enough that I recognized it as a spell.

"So a magician was behind this after all," Isis said to herself.

"Where did this come from?" Anubis asked.

Horus answered, "I found this in the basement of the Opera House. There was so much debris I had to dig around to find this."

"We've been investigation the explosion that happened there." Isis rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small stack of photographs. They were pictures of the explosion as it happened from different angles. There was something odd about them. Amongst the explosion it looked as though flames took the shape of the same hieroglyphs as those in the spell. "Do you see it?"

Anubis nodded. "Magical remnants."

"Precisely. This tragedy was caused by magic. However, other than me, the only other goddess in the city was Kebechet."

"But you don't suspect her." Anubis gave Isis a hard glare. Isis didn't falter under his gaze, though Horus began to chuckle.

"No. I knew she was only there to collect the dead."

Anubis set down the photo and pulled the spell to himself. It didn't take long for him to read it. "… I know this phrasing."

Isis smiled. "I have a theory about the culprit, but you're the only one who can confirm my suspicion." Anubis looked confused by her statement. Isis leaned forward and fixed him with an intense stare.

"Tell me, Anubis. When was the last time you've seen the immortal magician?"

* * *

**_Black Sand Artwork:_**_ Since this site is a link eating monster, you can find a link to the drawing at the top of my profile page._

* * *

_Author's comments: I have a lot going on in my life, so I'm sorry if my updates get slower and slower. My family needs to stop having surgeries. They broke my grandfather's arm during his and my mom almost lost her life and they weren't even able to perform the surgery. I've been taking care of them, making food, cleaning their house and what not. Once they start to recover, I should have my time back... if college doesn't eat it all by then -.-  
_

_~Oishii_


	10. All Aboard the Chicken Frisbee

_**Chapter 10: All Aboard the Chicken Frisbee!**_

The room became tense. Everyone was looking to Anubis waiting for his reply.

"The immortal magician… you mean Se-Osiris?"

Isis nodded.

"I last reaped his soul in Belgium of 1879. The sky was a murky white that day."

I titled my head at the remark about the sky, but Isis seemed unfazed by the pointless remark. "You haven't encountered him in the last century?"

Anubis shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't been performing my duties as much. You should ask Kebechet."

"I have, but she doesn't know how to recognize his soul." The table fell silent.

"Excuse me," I interrupted, "but how can the magician be immortal if he's human?"

"We don't have time for explanations," Horus retorted.

"No, I think it's better if she knows," Isis countered. She turned to her brother and smiled sugary. "Since you're so pressed on time, how about you give us a quick summary?"

Horus looked shocked. His sister's expectant smile made his cheeks burn, whether from anger or embarrassment I couldn't tell. "I'm not good at that sort of stuff. Anubis is the expert on souls."

Isis didn't push Horus but turned to Anubis. "Could you explain then?"

"Yeah." He turned away from them to face me. "You remember what I said about the _ba_ and _ka_, right?"

"Yeah."

"As you know, it is my duty to ensure the _ba _and_ ka_ of the dead are released. When these two souls reunite in the _duat_, they join together to form a new type of soul. We call it the _ankh_.

"An _ankh_ forms naturally in the _duat_, but not on Earth. Se-Osiris was a powerful magician and sought to live forever. He used his magic to bend nature and force his souls to become an _ankh_."

"Then how is it that you've reaped his soul if he is immortal"

"He's not immortal as we are," Isis said.

Anubis nodded. "He can die. He has died many times. But I can't send his soul to the _duat_. His soul is not a perfect _ankh_. In fact, it is quite grotesque. Something so flawed can't pass into the next life. So he is reborn over and over again."

When I tried to imagine dying over and over, a shiver went down my spine. It was like being the Incan warrior again, but knowing that even after death that suffering would have to be met again. "Why did he do it?"

"In his first life, he was the chief magician for the pharaoh of that time. He was powerful, but there was another magician of Ethiopia who also held power. This magician served under his king, but he was a fool. In the night, he kidnapped the pharaoh and beat him brutally to show his nation had greater power than Egypt.

"Se-Osiris was called upon to protect the pharaoh while he slept so this wouldn't happen again, and it never did. His magical barriers were able to keep the pharaoh safe from the magician."

"I remember when that happened," Isis said. "Thoth was the one who gave Se-Osiris the knowledge to make those barriers, am I right?"

Anubis nodded. "Little Horus begged him for his help for hours. It was annoying."

"Why? What did Little Horus have to do with it?"

"He was the pharaoh."

At this, Big Horus' booming laughter filled the small café. "That guy warped his soul to protect an _immortal_ god? What an idiot!"

"It isn't funny, Horus," Isis said in disapproval. "He did not know my son was serving as pharaoh."

"Which makes him an even greater fool. What's the point of being immortal for someone who will die eventually anyway?"

"Revenge."

Horus stopped laughing. In the deadly silence, Anubis continued. "I can't understand his emotions for wanting revenge, but I know he acted out against the king of Ethiopia. Three times he kidnapped him and beat him during the night. His magician wasn't powerful enough to protect his king, so he went to Egypt to face Se-Osiris. He lost and swore never to harm Egypt again. After that, I'm not sure what else happened. All I know is that 500 years later, Se-Osiris arrived once again to protect another Pharaoh from a magician of Ethiopia."

Anubis sighed and thumbed through the photos. "Now that he has no pharaoh to protect, I don't know what his motives are. He has lived in many parts of the world. If there is a war, I usually find him amongst the remains. I'm not even sure if he still uses magic. He would need a _sa _for that."

"What's a _sa_?" I asked before I could stop myself. Horus gave a large sigh and leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. Isis pretended she couldn't hear him.

"It is a sixth soul only gods have. It is our source of magical power. Since our souls can exist in more than one place, we can lend our _sa_ to a mortal to use. Even a magician is powerless if a god does not lend them their _sa_."

"Oh yeah," Horus said as he straightened in his chair. "See? I told you Set would be involved in this. I bet that human got a _sa_ from him!"

Isis replied, "I already said it's possible, but we can't rule out that it could be someone else."

"You should get a hold of Little Horus," Anubis said without looking up from the photos. "He's with Wadjet following Set's trail."

"Really?" Horus exclaimed. His eyes shined with deep desire. He stood from his seat saying, "I really should go help him. He could get hurt and –"

"No you don't." Isis grabbed his arm. Even with the force she must have been using to stop him, she didn't show any strain. "You promised to help figure this out with me. You're staying here."

"Oh come on, Isis! That magician could be in Antarctica or something by now. Finding him would be faster if you let me beat Set till he tells us what he knows."

"Actually, there's a better way." She held up the paper that held the spell. "If he was sloppy enough to leave behind the spell, then he was sloppy enough to leave a trail."

* * *

"Anubis! If you can't keep your human alive yourself, then you shouldn't take her with us!"

Horus the Elder shot me scathing glared after he stopped yet another piece of rubble from crushing me to death. He wasn't being fair. When Horus had once again told Anubis that Paws and I shouldn't come along, I sided with him. I didn't want to come. I knew I would only slow them down and, frankly, staying around Horus didn't seem healthy for my sense of self-worth. Anubis, however, insisted I stayed for reasons that are beyond me. So now I had to deal with the snide comments Horus shot me as he saved my life from the Opera house that was determined to kill me.

"I didn't ask to have my magic sealed," replied the zombie boy.

"And I didn't ask for babysitting duties!"

"Horus, could you please respect Anubis' wishes," Isis said with a sigh. "Anubis wouldn't bring Nakia here for no reason."

_I don't know about that_, I thought but didn't dare say it. I wasn't in the mood to speak. I was beginning to feel ashamed of my mortality. Paws, however, was easily weaving through the piles of debris. Since the building hadn't labeled him as its next murder victim, Paws managed to stay out of Horus' notice.

We made our way to the center of the explosion, descending deeper into the rubble into the basement. It was a bit creepy being around half melted mannequins and soot covered props.

"It's just over here," Horus said. We came to a stop in a large clearing. Everything that had been in the room had been blown into the surrounding walls. It was amazing the roof hadn't given in at all. The room was dark with no light but the blue flames that came to life in Isis' hand. In the center of the room, there was a spot in the floor that hadn't been scorched during the explosion. It was just large enough for a person to stand in.

"The spell itself I found underneath the electrical equipment over there, but he was probably standing here when he used it."

"Good work, Horus." Isis knelt to the ground at the clear circle on the ground speaking words I couldn't hear. Nothing happened for a while. Then a figure made of red light bathed the room in a crimson glow. The figure was shorter than me, its head reaching my chest. It turned its head and looked at Anubis. It held out his hand, his finger beckoning him forward. Then it vanished.

"Well, that was creepy," Horus said sounding more bored than disturbed. "What do we do now?"

Isis straightened up. "His magic trail has been covered. It could take me a week to sift through it to find it again."

"He wanted me to come alone," Anubis said.

"What makes you think that?" I asked.

"I wouldn't be able to follow his trail with magic. There's another way, possibly one only I could think of."

Horus clapped his hands together. "I got it. You can use that trick with the shadows."

Anubis shook his head. "That uses magic."

"Ah, well," Horus faltered but quickly regained his vigor. "At least my theory was proven. His magic is red."

"The color of Set," Isis whispered though it managed to ring loud in the deserted space.

"Isis, can you keep the human alive? I'm going to send a message to Little Me." Isis nodded absently staring at the space the glowing figure had been before.

When Horus left, she said, "I'm glad he came to help out with this. The situation is more serious than I thought."

"Do you think Set is in on this?" Anubis asked. I almost didn't catch him. Paws had surprised me by prodding me with his wet nose.

"I can't say for sure if this his bidding or the magician is acting on his own designs. Not when you're the target. Has Set acted against you before?" Paws was whimpering at me, his eyes pleading.

"No, but Sobek attacked me a couple of weeks ago." Paws was gesturing his muzzle to the spot on the floor and pleaded in his whine.

"Sobek attacked you? One of the three evils… that's very troubling. He doesn't always do Set's bidding, but if he attacked you, I cannot think he did it out of impulse."

"Um, I think Paws is trying to say something, Anubis." They both pulled out of their conversation. Immediately, Paws ran to Anubis barking his head off.

"Slow down. I hear you." He paused, contemplating to himself. He turned to Isis and said, "Can I see that spell?"

"Sure." She pulled it from her beaded bag and gave it to Anubis, who let Paws sniff it. A moment later he was sniffing at the ground. His nose stayed pressed to the floor. Finally, he gave an excited bark, his tail wagging.

"Paws has his scent. We can follow that."

"A way only you could think of," Isis mused. Anubis shrugged. I almost wanted to laugh but didn't. In a case where the gods couldn't use their magic could they really think of no other solutions? And yet one of the first things a human would think of would be a search dog. I wondered how much the gap between humans and gods thoughts were, and whether Se-Osiris was aware of it.

I survived the journey out of the Opera house. It felt very bright outside after crawling out of the darkness. Paws leapt out and had his nose to the ground. He had to abandon the trail as we maneuvered through the rubble. Isis followed after me.

"I hope he isn't in the city. Perhaps we should find his location before we approach. We would have a better chance of luring him away."

Anubis nodded. Without any warning, Anubis let out an earsplitting howl. I quickly covered my ears but it did nothing to help. The sound shook my bones, making it difficult to keep myself standing. The howl faded then died. I glimpsed at the surrounding police and media but they didn't show any sign of having _their_ ears blown out.

"Ow, my eardrums..."

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Anubis replied. I thought I heard Paws laughing in his way, but I looked over to see him snarling, his eyes fixed to a point in the park. My eyes found what he was growling at. Coming from the shadows of the trees was a large pack of dogs. It took a moment for me to pin a name to the tan fur and pointed ears. There were about twenty or so dingoes approaching us. They came slowly at first, and then broke into a run. They all came at Anubis and nearly knocked him down. They acted like a bunch of puppies competing for attention. Not quite the vicious attack I was expecting.

"Okay, settle down. I have a scent I need you to follow," Anubis said. He had them all sniff the spell and soon they ran off following their noses. Paws was taking this as a personal insult and would not even look at Anubis. We left through the police line and broke into the trees. We found some benches surrounding a water fountain that we sat at while we waited. Paws was drinking out of the fountain. I watched him not really focusing. I was queasy. The last time we faced danger it sprang up out of nowhere. I was beginning to think that way was better than walking into it. It gave you way more time to think than needed.

My feelings must have showed, because Isis laid her hand on my shoulder. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

I didn't want to. I might as well be honest. "I… I'm going if Anubis is."

Anubis glanced at me from where he sat but said nothing. I felt a bit stunned at myself. I wasn't going to say that. As I spoke, I caught sight of the hieroglyphs moving across Anubis' skin. Something rose in me. Maybe it was the natural liar thing Anubis thinks I am. No, it was more like someone else had answered for me. It was creepy.

"Your lesser name suits you, Nakia," Isis answered.

"Paws! Don't jump in there!" Anubis shouted. Paws turned up his nose and jumped in the water. Anubis went after him, his face blank.

When he was further away, Isis said, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to help Anubis? You didn't feel obligated because of your ability did you?"

I paused, thinking back to my last days as a high school student. Slowly, I responded, "I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little obligated. At that time, there was this boy I knew. I didn't know him well, but you could tell his life was rough. He was bullied because of it. My friend told me I should stay out of it, so I did. He committed suicide." I paused, looking up at Anubis standing on the fountain rim.

"Anubis reminded me of him. There's sadness in him I don't really understand. I knew that I couldn't make the same mistake with him that I made with Andrew."

"Do you regret it?" she asked with a soft voice.

I smiled despite myself. "Helping Anubis I don't regret, but I regret leaving my family. If I had stayed, I would regret not helping him. I had no easy choices."

"The most important ones never do. I'm glad you choose to help him. He's been lost long enough."

"Horus said the same thing. Little Horus, I mean. I'm glad there are some gods that don't mind I'm around." I sighed.

"Don't let my brother deter you. Sad to say, many gods keep themselves out of human affairs. They forget how much our kind relies on each other."

"What good are we to gods?"

"You give us purpose." I looked at her as she gave me a warm smile. I would have asked what purpose, but Paws came back and was shaking water on us.

"Enough, Paws!" I scolded. He was grinning, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. Anubis was behind him soaking wet.

"Could you?" he asked Isis in a flat tone.

"Of course," she replied. She said some inaudible words with her hand out to him. Next moment, Anubis was dry with no shiny flashes or great gusts of wind. Just one moment he's wet and then he was dry. Magic was turning out to be less dramatic in appearance than I thought it would be. Isis stood and said, "He's back."

In the sky past the trees came a golden object. I couldn't make out what it was until it came closer.

"Is that a … chicken frisbee?"

"It is the Winged Disk; another form of Horus," Isis corrected. Coming to us was, I kid you not, a gold disk with flapping wings. It had looked like a frisbee from far away (well, I still think it looks like a frisbee) but it was very massive. It would probably be taller than the water fountain. The wings came out of it at each side. They must have been huge as well, but they were a blur beating fast like hummingbird wings. A moment later, the disk was gone and Horus fell out of the sky. He landed gracefully but looked incredibly grumpy.

"Welcome back." Isis' voice was pleasant despite the negative aura Horus was exuding.

"Yeah," he grunted. "Are we having a picnic now?"

"Anubis sent some dogs to follow the magician's scent. We are waiting on their return before we decade on what to do next."

"Good." He didn't seem to be listening. He plopped down onto a separate bench, looking very hostile.

Anubis said to him, "Little Horus didn't like being interrupter, did he?"

"Yes!" Horus burst out as though he were a bomb that was just set off. "I ask him what he's doing with Set and he tells me to butt out! He acts like I'm trying to fight his battles for him."

"You usually are."

"Only when it's Set. Anyway, I got the message to him to interrogate him while he's at it. Hopefully he'll win this fight. His winning streak has been getting pretty long."

"He may not," Isis said bluntly. "We may be able to extract Set's purpose from the magician."

"Hmph, he better win…" Horus mumbled.

A soft patter could be heard in the distance. The sound grew louder, the pounding of their paws bringing them closer. The group of wild dingoes came to a halt before Anubis. The largest of them gave a loud bark and Anubis nodded. "They're outside the city in a barren field. They're waiting for us."

"They?" Isis asked.

He nodded. "They said a woman is with him. Probably a goddess."

Isis and Horus exchanged glances. It was apparent that they had not expected others to be involved. Isis sighed. "Let us not delay then. Could you ride us there, Horus?"

Of course his first reaction was to glare in my direction. Maybe I would have glared back too if I hadn't been caught off guard by Isis' implication of Horus giving us a ride. "I'm not taking you all! I have a passenger limit, you know!"

Now I was _very_ concerned about our ride. "Paws doesn't have to come with us," Anubis replied. Paws whined in protest, but Anubis turned to him and said, "No, you don't. The place we're going is far outside the city. Get to the boat and make sure it's there for when we leave." Paws turned to me, his eyes pleading. When my silence confirmed there was nothing I could do, he whimpered and sauntered off in defeat.

"And what about the human?" Horus grumbled/

"She comes with us," Anubis said.

"Onto a battle field?" Horus grinned in a mocking way. "Is that why you keep dragging her along with you? Hoping she'll die sooner?"

Suddenly, Anubis hand grabbed at my shoulder a moment before he fell to his knees. His hold pulled me to the ground with him.

"Enough!"

The high voice of Isis could not be more commanding. Her sweet demeanor was replaced with a cold authority. I knew in that moment Isis wasn't someone to cross. I pulled my gaze away from her to check on Anubis. His face was like stone except for his eyes. They looked to be struggling to focus on something. I could only guess his heart was searching for a feeling it lacked.

"Horus," Isis voice rang, "whatever hard feeling you have about Anubis' decision to bring Nakia you can keep to yourself." Horus grunted but didn't protest against her. She turned on Anubis and for a moment I feared she would give him a stern lecture as well. However, she knelt down to meet his eyes and said in a soft voice, "Anubis, Horus does have a point. It would be safer if she stayed behind."

Although I didn't like them deciding for me whether I should go I kept it to myself. I knew I would do whatever Anubis decided regardless. As for him, as his eyes focused on Isis, any emptiness of emotion vanished. In fact, the look he gave her I had never seen before. Whenever I looked into his eyes, there was always something in his gaze that was off. In this instance, the look of regret mingled with a fierce determination was so clearly written on his face, there was no trace of that off look.

"I won't let her out of my sight," he stated.

I didn't understand it, but Isis looked hurt from what he said. The tension in the air brought my hair on end. I had a feeling this tension was something beyond what Anubis said.

Horus' booming laughter broke through the tension. He approached us, still chuckling. "So that's how it is. You don't change at all, kid." Horus patted his shoulder as Anubis stood up again. He avoided looking at me. While stretching his arms he said, "Let's just get this over with. I want to meet up with Little Me as soon as possible."

Then the chicken frisbee returned. Its golden disk hovered for a moment and then landed on the ground with a metallic clang. The white wings as long as three people spun in a circle like a helicopter until it folded into the disk and out of sight. When Isis stepped onto the giant frisbee, I felt my body lock up. Anubis had tugged at my wrist but I didn't move.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"No, just no," my voiced squeaked as I protested. "I can't… I can't fly on that. There are no seat belts or edges…"

"It's fine, Nakia. You won't fall, and if you do I'll catch you," Isis called out.

"You have always been fine on the boat. This is no different."

"This is completely different!" I exclaimed.

Anubis sized me up and his cold demeanor loosened. "Do you want to stay behind?"

Yes. "No."

He sighed. With strength that didn't fit his size, he threw me over his shoulders like I was lighter than cotton.

"Hey! Put me down! Stop it!" I complained all the way to Horus' chicken frisbee. Anubis plopped me in the middle with no effort. His lax expression only jarred my anger.

Isis reprimanded, "That was insensitive, Anubis. You'll only scare her more."

"It was faster."

As though responding to the word 'fast', the frisbee uncurled its wings and shot into the sky. My stomach didn't come with me. I covered my eyes and curled my head between my knees. My heart was hammering in my chest and I fought back images of us slipping off. It didn't stop a short scream escaping as I felt the world flip over us.

"Is that really necessary, Horus?" Isis said. The world righted itself but the disk was shaking slightly. I could imagine the sound of Horus roaring with laughter in my head.

Of course, we fell.

There was a screeching sound like when Anubis was sealed. The sky cackled with red static and the chicken frisbee vanished beneath us. I wish I could say I kept my cool, but I screamed through the whole fall. Someone grabbed me from under my arms and slowed my fall. It wasn't until I was on the ground that I opened my eyes.

Miles and miles of arid dirt stretched out as far as the horizon. We were inside a giant red circle that glowed red energy. Hieroglyphs spiraled inside it. Isis stood over me and I saw the red words were slipping over her skin. It was the same for Horus, now in his human form. The black hieroglyphs on Anubis had an added red gleam.

In the center of this circle some ways away were two figures. The tallest was a woman who looked like a biker. She wore a black leather jacket and a tight fitting biker suit. Her black hair was cut short in an angle so it was longer in the front. Her eyes were as black as her hair. The red hieroglyphs also snaked across her skin. She didn't look happy to be here.

Next to her was a boy that looked to be twelve. He wore what looked like the sort of uniform you would wear at a private boarding school. His black hair was neatly pulled back. He had the sort of eyes that didn't belong on a young boy's face. Like me, he didn't have the glowing words crossing over his body.

He was the immortal magician.


	11. Making Deals and Hearing Voices

_**Chapter 11: Making Deals and Hearing Voices**_

At the sight of us, the magician lowered on one knee and bowed his head. "Oh, Great Mother Isis and Warrior Horus the Elder. I did not expect to be in your presence."

"Stand boy!" The woman next to him snapped. "As long as you serve Set, you do not lower your head to his enemies."

"Are you Se-Osiris?" Isis asked him.

He grinned. "That was one of my names."

"I would ask if you were behind everything, but this seal makes it obvious it was you." Isis tapped her foot on the crimson spell under us. She gave Se-Osiris a confident smile. "I can easily break this seal."

"I am sure you can. The seal was only a precaution, and it served its purpose. I doubt I would fare well in a fight with the Winged Disk."

"Damn right," Horus replied. He turned his eyes to the woman next Se-Osiris and yelled, "Hey Uhat! I didn't know you babysit little magicians!"

She crossed her arms but kept her cold glare at him. "I'm just here to watch the show."

Anubis stepped forward into the front of our group. The seal on his skin was so pronounced now that half his skin color was obscured by its black and red glow. "Did you gamble Khonsu so that I would have to come here?"

Se-Osiris nodded.

Anubis was silent for a moment before continuing. "You want something from me, do you not?"

"I do, and it is not so easy to find you under even normal circumstances. I've heard about the plight with your heart. With you gone from your usual duties to recover it has made contacting you even more difficult. So I decided to find an old god that could do it for me."

"And now I'm here."

"And now you're here, because you can't lift that seal without me."

"What do you I need to do to have it lifted?"

"Anubis," Horus interrupted. "This guy is working for Set. You shouldn't just do whatever he asks."

"What choice do I have?" Anubis said and glanced over his shoulder at him. "It'll be fine."

Uhat was laughing under her breath from the exchange between Horus and Anubis, but Se-Osiris ignored her. "I have two requests."

"That's hardly even," Anubis countered. "I do two tasks for you when I only need one thing from you?"

"I thought you think that way. A god so close to Ma'at and the weigher of souls would seek balance. That is why…" he broke off, reaching for something in the small satchel hanging from his shoulder. He pulled out a small object and held it out. "… I will offer this as well."

Anubis' shoulders tensed. I stared at the canopic jar not believing my eyes. But it was there in his hands, with the Jackal head and all. I closed my eyes, but saw nothing but the strong red light through my eyelids.

"It's not real," I called out to Anubis. "You're hearts not in there."

Anubis nodded to me but at the same moment Uhat let out a shriek of a laugh. "Not real, the human says. This canopic jar he received from Set himself, and him from Nephthys."

"Is she your magician?" Se-Osiris asked.

"No, she is not," Anubis replied. "But she is an anomaly and has sharp eyes. Show me it that my heart is there or we done here."

"As you wish, Son of Nephthys." The boy screwed off the jackal head of the jar and poured the contents into his other hand. From the jar blood spilled out into his hand until finally a lump of flesh fell into his hand. It was small and fit into his palm easily. The flesh pulsed in an even rhythm. "You see. A fragment of a heart that continues to beat without an owner. You would be hard pressed to find another's heart in this state."

It was really his heart. _Useless, _was all I could think. My fear had come true. My ability was gone and I was no use in helping Anubis. I wondered if the others would reprimand me for my failure. For now they only had their eyes on the magician.

"Make your deal then," Anubis said in a low voice.

Se-Osiris glanced at Uhat for a second before speaking. "First I need you to confirm something for me. The second request… I need you to do something for me."

Anubis said nothing; only nodded. Uhat was squaring her shoulders, watching the magician with hawk eyes.

"You remember me from my first life. I am the magician Ousimanthor who served the Pharaoh Manakhphre, or Horus the Child, in protecting him from the Ethiopian king and his magician."

"I remember. That happened many millennia ago," Anubis responded.

"So it did. And you have been keeping a secret all this time haven't you, Anpu?"

Anubis was silent. Isis and Horus both glance at him before returning their attention to Se-Osiris.

"Tnahsi*. That is the name of the magician I had to face to protect my pharaoh. Then many lifetimes later I again faced a magician of Ethiopia when I was but a boy in that lifetime. Tell me, was that the same magician I had faced in my first life?"

All was still. I could only see Anubis back, but I could feel his tension coming off in waves as he silently stood facing Se-Osiris. It was a long moment before Anubis softly said, "Yes, that was Tnahsi."

"Is he still immortal?"

"…yes."

Se-Osiris glared at Anubis with intense hatred burning in his eyes. I wondered why Anubis kept a secret like that. Two rivals from the ancient past have been living immortal lives and yet Se-Osiris had lived unaware the other still lived. Was Anubis trying to prevent him knowing? If he had, it has now been undone.

Se-Osiris turned his eyes again toward Uhat, but again held Anubis in his gaze. "If Tnahsi does still live, then I will lift your seal and give you your heart fragment if you find him for me."

"That was not the deal you made, magician!" Uhat yelled at him. "Your patron god gave you instructions and you will follow them!"

Se-Osiris didn't move but stared to Anubis. I could see Isis and Horus tensing, their eyes darting between the goddess and the magician. Anubis very slightly nodded his head.

Just from that small gesture chaos broke out. The magician pulled out a paper scroll that instantly burst into light. The light connected with Anubis in a bright thread and the hieroglyphs on his skin shattered off him like glass. At the same time, Isis grabbed at the light of the red circle at our feet. She lifted it up and quickly threw it back into the ground. It too shattered and disappeared.

Uhat had let out an angry shout during this and a large black limb twice the size of her materialized from her back. It struck at Se-Osiris, but the blow was blocked by Horus who appeared in an instant between the two. She pulled it back and I realized the limb was the tail of a scorpion.

Se-Osiris nimbly jumped back from Uhat. Now both Anubis and Isis were running to where Horus and Uhat fought. Perhaps it was the suddenness everything changed, but feeling the familiar adrenaline running through me I instinctually pulled my blindfold over my eyes. But this time the world became black and white and I saw the green glow of Anubis' heart lying on the ground forgotten in the commotion. Without thinking I ran for it. As I came closer a black figure rose from the ground and blocked my path.

"Ah!" I shouted as it grabbed me. I struggled against its hold but its grip stayed firm. I looked down to stomp down on its foot and met a strange sight. The figure had no feet. Instead its legs continued until they went under my feet. "My shadow?" I cried out in surprise.

As though to confirm my shout, I saw Anubis in the distance closing in on Uhat. As he ran his shadow as well as Isis' rose from the ground and ran with them, eventually passing him. The shadows of Anubis and Isis leaped at Uhat, but instead of grabbing at her figure as my shadow did, they sank into the ground and held Uhat's shadow into place. Uhat struggled against an invisible force as her shadow fought against its captors. At that moment a tall tower of red light and wind swept around the magician. The storm of wind swept away from him and collided with Uhat. The ground began breaking away from the winds creating a swirling hole in the ground. The sands pulled the struggling Uhat in the ground, red lightning erupting all around her. Before her figure disappeared, she screamed, "You will pay for this!" And then she was gone.

The storm lasted for a few more seconds before disappearing once more. The shadow that held me let go and sank back into place on the ground. Horus was to first to make any sound, laughing at the spot Utah disappeared. "'_You will pay!'_ If I could count how many times I've heard that one."

"I fear I may be killed by her this time, if not Set himself," said Se-Osiris.

"About Set," Isis said approaching Se-Osiris, "what was the promise you made with him?"

Se-Osiris raised his eyebrows and replied, "In exchange for his _sa_, Set wanted me to bring Anubis to him. For what reason, I do not know, but I agreed so I could use magic to find Anubis. I never had any attention to fulfill Set's wish, however."

"Se-Osiris," Anubis called to him. "I will help you find Tnahsi, but I can't set out immediately to find him. I still have more fragments of my heart to recover before I do anything else."

"I understand, God of Funerals. I have lived for many lifetimes. I can wait a little longer. As for your heart…" His eyes swept the area to finally rest on me. I already had that heart fragment kept beating softly in my hand. Se-Osiris titled his head, looking for a moment like the young boy his body was.

"Anubis, here." I said to him outstretching my hand. Everyone was looking at me, probably wondering why I was walking around blindfolded, but I didn't mind them. I only kept my eyes transfixed on Anubis as he took the heart fragment and watched the green glow go down his throat, settle in his chest and fade away. I pulled the bandana back around my neck.

"Thank you for recovering my heart, Se-Osiris," Anubis said to him.

Se-Osiris bowed to him and replied, "It was my honor, Anpu."

"My honor to blackmail you, you mean," Horus said in an undertone.

"I assure you, it was all a show for Uhat. Had Anpu refused I would still find a way to return his heart. I do not wish for him to suffer a fate so much like his father's." Horus crossed his arms, not buying it. With a final bow, Se-Osiris said, "I should take my leave before Set takes his _sa_ back from me. Hail Anpu, Isis, and Horus." The boy took some steps back, and then fell backwards with his arms outstretched. The moment his body hit the ground it turned into grains of sand that scattered in every direction. A cloud of dust formed from the impact. It twirled and twisted in an unnatural way until it dissipated.

I felt Anubis hand touch my shoulder and turned to him. "We should return to Paws," he said.

"Okay," I nodded. I turned to the others and saw Isis staring intently at me.

"Isis?" Anubis said when he noticed.

She looked to him and said, "I can see your _sa_ within her, Anubis. Did you know this?"

Anubis shook his head looking confused. "That can't be. I never lent my _sa_ to her."

"Still, it is there, though in a different form… I'll have to discuss this with Thoth."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"The power you have is dependent on Anubis. When his _sa_ was sealed, so was your ability. But it's strange for this power to manifest without his knowledge."

"Will you be going to the _duat_ then?" Anubis asked Isis.

"Yes, I have much to discuss with Thoth." She paused for a moment and said more seriously, "Beware, Anubis. Set has never been your enemy before and I worry over what brought this change. He is a fierce enemy. Do not take him lightly."

Anubis nodded. "I will take caution, thank you."

She held his cheek in her palm and bent to kiss his forehead. She turned towards me smiling kindly. She tucked the strands of hair in my face behind my ear as she said, "Take care of him and stay safe, Nakia."

"Sure thing." I said, biting the inside of my cheek. Her touch was so much like a mother's it tore at my heart. Just before she withdrew her hand, I thought I saw something blue flicker in the corner of my eye. But nothing was there when I looked.

I blinked and she was gone. I looked around and there was no one but Anubis and me. I furrowed my brow. "Where did Horus go?"

"He left as soon as Se-Osiris left. After Little Horus no doubt."

"Oh, I didn't even notice."

"Come on."

Behind us Paws boat was sailing in the distance coming to us. We walked toward the boat through the barren landscape. I felt tired and was looking forward to lying down in my bed. Suddenly, my body stiffened. My vision became hazy and I felt a hundred degrees hotter. I was distantly aware that my body was sinking to the ground. I couldn't see or feel anything but the heat, but I heard a voice that vibrated through my entire being.

_I was Yesterday and –was– called Sef_

_ How to let through the Petals to a flower?_

_ But the Petals know the Seed, not the Drought_

_ The Wind is meaningless but carries the Petals_

_ Meaningless Prophecy, what storm have you stirred?_

_ And the Petals – _

"…prophecy?"I murmured through the heat. The center of my vision began to burn the darkness away, creating a hole that I could see the ground through. I heard a muffled voice that became crisper as the heat faded away.

"Nakia? Can you hear me?" I blinked and I steadily felt power coming back to my limbs. I lifted my head and saw Anubis crouched to the ground holding me by my shoulders. His face was devoid of emotion as was his voice. A shadow loomed over us and saw that the boat had sailed in front of us.

"I can hear you… I … heard someone talking…"

"Can you stand?"

"Y-yeah."

* * *

I lay in my bed, trying to clear my mind and failing miserably at it. So many things had happened in so little time. We encountered the immortal magician, Anubis' seal was lifted with the promise of hunting his enemy after his heart was whole, I had the lovely experience of being held against my will by my own shadow, we recovered a piece of Anubis' heart, and learned that Set is trying to lure Anubis to him.

But through it all I keep going back to the voice. It happened out of nowhere. Anubis wanted to ask me what happened, I could tell. But one glance at me he had stopped himself and said, "I think we both need some rest."

I was trying to remember all the words it said. I knew it had just happened only an hour or so ago, but it feels like a faraway memory, like one from early childhood. The one word that stuck with me was 'prophecy', but I couldn't remember anything about it. I remember petals were mentioned more than once. And I think it mentioned either a 'drought' or a 'flood'. I'm leaning toward 'flood' since I vaguely remember it saying something about a 'storm' too. But what is any of it supposed to mean? I was desperately trying to remember the words I heard but the more I recalled it, the more meaningless… meaningless it felt.

I heard a low groan from the boat. The only time I ever heard this sound was if the boat was making a sharp turn. I looked out a side window and, enough, the boat was changing course. I threw on my jacket and left my bedroom.

"What's going on?" I asked when I entered the bridge. Paws was there with his teeth digging into the wood of the wheel as he turned it. Then I saw Anubis leaning against the wall. "Hey, are you okay? You should stay in bed!"

Anubis was as white as a sheet and sheen of sweat coated his forehead. I remembered the last time I gave back a part of his heart and the sort of attack he had. "Come on. We're taking you back to bed." I grabbed at his shoulders to direct him out but he pushed my hands away.

"I can't. We're going to the _duat_."

"Why?"

"A soul has made it through the gates and wishes to have his heart weighed."

My thoughts ran in images. The multiple times I've seen the carving of a jackal god by an old scale. The giant scale I saw on two occasions I had visited the _duat_. Se-Osiris saying to Anubis, '_A god so close to Ma'at and the weigher of souls would seek balance._'

"The Weighing of the Heart ritual."

Anubis nodded. "It has been almost seven years since the last one. I wonder how this one will fair."

* * *

"You're giving the dead pizza and coke?" Anubis asked when I came in with the food for the dead. Since Anubis is in a miserable state, I couldn't let him go out to fulfill this errand before entering the _duat_ so I volunteered to go on my own.

"Don't tell me all they ever give them is bread and water? That's so boring."

"Nearly every culture has bread, and water is universal so it's most likely to be satisfying for all."

"But everyone likes pizza," I replied. Anubis sighed and said nothing. I shrugged my shoulders and added, "And they're already dead so I doubt they need to worry about their arteries."

"If Osiris finds out, I'm telling him it was you."

We sailed down the river in a new boat until we came to the place of the floating doors. As we passed the pillar with the empty basin I quickly left the offering of pizza and coke. The boat floated past without stopping so I could only hear the doors colliding to form into one large one from the distance as we passed through the gate to the next chamber. This was the same for the next two chambers until we came to the flaming lake. The flames died in our approach and we came to a stop at large flight of stairs. Light glowed from the room above that held the giant black scale.

"Paws, stay with the boat. We shouldn't be long," Anubis ordered. Paws barked in reply. We got out of the boat, but Anubis stopped me. "I will be taking another route to where Osiris is. Just go upstairs and wait for me. Thoth should be up there waiting as well."

"You're not coming with me?" I asked. It felt strange going anywhere without him.

He grinned while walking away, "I think you can climb a flight of stairs by yourself." He turned and left, disappearing into the darkness. Something about his reaction felt odd. After Anubis spending the whole day making sure that I never left his, for him to leave me to go out on my own in the _duat_ didn't feel right. I shrugged off the feeling and climbed the stairs.

I was greeted with the familiar hall of open space that eventually turns to hallways that lead to the many rooms of the other gods. In the center was the large, onyx scale towering overhead. It was noticeably quieter than usual. The varied gods and goddess that normally roamed in and out of here were all absent.

There was one god. Thoth stood underneath the scale, unusually balancing a laptop of all things in one hand while he typed with the other. There was another person with him. It looked like a teenage boy. I could see the back of his black hair and his black leather jacket. Then he turned to face me, and I was confronted with a familiar face.

"Andrew Darnell…"

_*Tnahsi isn't his original name from the legend. His name was Horus, son of Tnahsit. However, my story has enough Horus's so I decided to give him the name of his mother, dropping the 't' at the end to make the name masculine._

_Author's Notes: To read the author notes, go to my profile. In it includes comments about the chapters, explanations of why this was so delayed, and a recommendation for you god lovers out there.  
_


	12. Rebellious Teenagers Don't Belong in

_**Chapter 12: Rebellious Teenagers Don't Belong in the **_**Duat**

His eyes were the only things that changed since the last time I saw Andrew before his suicide. Back then, he would rarely lift his eyes to look at anyone. Their focus was never on anything around him, like he didn't want to see the world around him for what it was.

Now he looked directly at me. He didn't shift his gaze but returned my look with a confidence he never had while living. They stayed focused, as though the _duat_ was a reality he could accept than the one he had left behind.

Andrew looked bewildered by my appearance. He opened his mouth to say something, but at the same moment Thoth noticed me and stepped between him and me. "Welcome back, Nakia. Has Anubis already left to see Osiris?"

"Uh, yeah he did," I replied.

"Splendid. The sooner we finish the better. I have four hundred eighty seven million nine hundred ten thousand five hundred and sixty six documents and notes I still need to process and I would rather not delay the work too long. And I presume you will be staying for the Weighing of the Heart? It's quite rare these days. You wouldn't want to miss the opportunity."

I shrugged. "I have nothing else to do."

Thoth stiffened a moment and looked at me surprised. But the moment passed and he sighed, saying, "How simple it is to be a human…" He walked away, once again taking to the laptop wobbling on his palm as he typed on it with the other hand.

Andy walked to me then. I rarely ever see him smile, so the sheepish smile he had now made him seems like another person. "Let me take a guess," he said. "You're not dead, are you?"

"Not yet." I wanted to say more, but I couldn't think of how to comment on his death and still keep the tone casual. Instead, I said, "You missed the pizza party."

"Pizza party?" I told him about my offering and he laughed in a wistful way that surprised me a little. "That's just my luck. But, man," he said shaking his head, "how on the world did I miss a person who hangs out with Gods?"

"I've only known a god since… recently. I've kind of left school so I can help Anubis out."

"That is so cool. And you know him?" he asked pointing to Thoth.

"Thoth? Yeah, I've met him a couple of times. He has the messiest office I have ever seen in my life."

"With the eight billion what papers he said he had, I would believe it. But what was it he called you? Nakia? Why don't you go by Ma–"

Andy was cut off, but not by anyone who had been here before. A black figure as tall as me appeared in front of him and had its hand over Andy's mouth to silence him. The transparent figure I recognized, and sure enough, when I looked to the ground I saw its legs stretched onto the ground until they were under my feet. Andy froze, staring at my shadow in a silent horror. At that moment Thoth's voice broke I stunned silence.

"You should take care to watch what you say. A name has power, and Nakia has adopted a lesser name to protect herself. Do you give your word to never speak her true name?"

Andy nodded stiffly. As soon as he did, my shadow retreated back onto the ground once again moving on the ground as I do. Andy said, "What was that?"

"Nakia's _sheut_; _shadow_ in your language. Don't worry. The _sheut_ only serve one god."

"Which god is that?" I asked Thoth.

He grinned at me and replied, "I think you can figure that one out yourself."

"…Anubis."

He didn't respond, but only broadened his smile. The next second he turned his head away, abruptly alert. He turned back to me and said, "They are coming. You do what I say, Nakia."

As he spoke, the room around us was changing. The wide open space was being filled with tall pillars that grew from the stone floor like spring flowers. Two rows of pillars stretched either direction on each side of us. Further away the black sand we sailed across poured from the ceiling. When the sand hit the floor, it turned into solid stone that grew taller. When the flow of black sand stopped, the stone revealed two thrones, both solid onyx with intricate reliefs on them.

"Follow me," Thoth said to me. I followed him, leaving Andy behind to wait by the giant scale. We walked to the thrones, and Thoth stood in front of the smaller throne. "Sit on the floor by me," he said and I did so. I looked at the other throne and asked, "Where's Anubis' throne?"

"He doesn't have one."

"Why not?"

"He didn't want it. Shh." Thoth looked straight forward. Between us and Andy, something else grew from the floor the same way the pillars had formed just before. It was like a white stem but it grew thicker and denser until it was eventually in the shape of a human figure. The figure took form and his back was dressed in a white robe and sporting the good old Egyptian bowling pin on his head. Andy straightened up when the figure appeared. He was timid, not really sure how to act it seemed. He finally decided to sink to one knee in a bow.

"What is the true name of the mortal who comes to have his heart weighed?" said the god.

"Andrew Jason Darnell," he said in a shaky reply.

"Andrew Jason Darnell, you have proven yourself by reaching this gate to have courage and strength worthy of being vindicated. If you wish to have your soul judged, you may continue on your journey and reach Aaru. But be warned, for if you don't speak the truth, you will suffer a second death by the jaws of Ammit. What is your will?"

"I will have my heart weighed."

"Very well." The figure turned and strode towards us. Now that I could see his face, he looked like an older Anubis. The only differences were the god's curly black hair, a small beard on his chin, and penetrating silver eyes. He cast those eyes on me, and that serious face showed a goofy grin not so different from the young boy I had met in the _duat_ a couple of weeks before. He reached the throne and Thoth bowed low to him. Osiris nodded, but as Thoth turned to sit in his throne, Osiris gestured with his hand over his head showing how slightly taller he was from Thoth. I avoided Thoth's searching gaze as I stifled a laugh.

I had not noticed Anubis has arrived. He arrived with the hippo crocodile thing, Ammit, who strode to sit by Osiris' throne. Anubis had changed his clothes, and was topless and in a white Egyptian skirt. In his hair was a large, fluffy feather.

He looked terrible. He was paler than usual, and there was sheen of sweat over his body. His face was a mask that showed no pain or discomfort, or even any hints of feeling. He stood in front of Andy, and metronomically stated, "You will be judged against Ma'at, the Goddess of truth, justice, and order. Do you, Andrew Darnell, uphold that you have lived by Ma'at's laws, and you have not committed an evil act that you can be condemned for?"

There was a long silence while Andy stared fixedly at Anubis. I couldn't understand why he was waiting so long. The words seemed to be stuck in his throat. But finally Andy swallowed and said, "I do."

Anubis nodded without a word. He drew the feather from his hair and held outstretched before him. He let go, but the feather didn't drift to the ground. It slowly turned in the air frozen in place. Soon a wind stirred it, and many white feathers started to appear, spinning in tight circles. Many appeared until the feathers were so nit in place that they made a form.

The feathers continued to spin and blow, but they were confined in the shape of a woman's body. Anubis bowed to the figure when she took form. She nodded her head back to him. The feather made body drifted to one side of the scale, where she floated to the side of one of the weights.

Anubis walked directly to Andy. I flinched as his hand went into his chest. There wasn't any blood or anything, but he removed his hand easily with a heart in his hand. The heart didn't move, obviously dead as Andy was. Andy's face went slack, and I was eerily reminded of Anubis' own blank stare.

Anubis took his place on the other side of the scale. In unison, the feathered figure stepped into the metal weight just as Anubis placed Andy's heart in the scale. The scale swung from the new weight and teetered up and down. The feathers would swirl with the movement but stayed contained in the weight. Gently the scale slowed its movement and came to a stop.

There was a metallic clanking as one side rested on the ground.

It took me a moment to know what it meant. My mind finally grasped the old legend my father had told me as Thoth stood beside me.

"This is his judgment," Thoth declared. "The heart of Andrew Jason Darnell has been weighed, and his heart gives testimony on his behalf."

My hands started shaking. I could see Anubis stepping away from the scale, looking not over to me, but the creature growling beside Osiris' throne.

"His heart has been found immoral under the trial of the Great Balance."

I tried to stand up, but my knees were stiff and shaking.

"There has been wickedness found him, for he has slain his own life and shed the blood of man."

The growling grew louder. Anubis wouldn't look at me.

"By Ma'at's judgment, he has broken his word, and shall perish in the jaws of Ammit."

"No!" I cried.

Anubis nodded.

The creature ran with a blur and threw itself in the scale, the side Anubis has been standing by. I heard its growls but I did not see. I had made it to my feet. I was running away. Away from the growls and tearing behind me.

I didn't belong here. I felt so alive it hurt.

I let my legs carry me through the repetitious corridors, trying desperately to find the office I had been before. I wanted to hide, and there wasn't a better place than underneath Thoth's pile of books.

But deep inside I knew I couldn't escape. I was trapped in the _duat_ and it terrified me. The feared for me life. I couldn't put a name to it. I ran from being at the mercy of the gods.

I turned a corner, and there were no longer any halls before me. The area was wide open and bare. Everything continued into darkness. The floor had turned into dark dirt that stretched on as far as was visible.

I turned around to go back, but the hall I left wasn't behind me. It was the same barren field all around me. I staggered, whipping myself around trying to find where I had just come from. My breath came in shaky gasps and I was still shaking. I couldn't move my mind shocked at the sudden change in environment.

Something grabbed my ankle.

I shrieked and fell. I pulled my foot away. A decomposed hand fought against me. Another cry escaped me when I realized what it was. I wrestled me foot free and scrambled away. More decomposed body parts started digging from the earth around me. I was trapped in a horrible version of Thriller, where I would be lucky if they started dancing instead of attacking me.

I started running, trying to keep away from the skeletal bodies that pulled themselves from the ground. I didn't know where I was going. I wasn't even sure if I was going straight, let alone the right direction. As I ran I could hear them whispering behind me.

_Malinda, you are such a smart girl._

_No daughter of mine can't leave before giving her dad a big old hug._

_You know that you can tell me anything, right? If there is something wrong, you can tell me._

My corners of my eyes burned from the voices and the memories connected to them. Part of me wanted to stop and turn back; run to back to my family where I would be safe. I forced myself to keep moving forward. They were gone. There was no going back.

The world shifted. I was flung through the ground, like the world was rotating. For a moment the image of an hourglass being turned stuck in my mind.

I wasn't in the barren waste land anymore. It had the appearance of a natural cave. Stalactites dripped water above me. The place was dark, but there was a natural glow though I couldn't see its source.

As soon as I stepped forward the floor I stood on started to sink. The black sand that had looked solid started to move and ripple. I fell in deeper into the sand as a current started to flow and the sand turned into a river. I was pulled underneath by the current. The sand stung my eyes and I closed them. I was being tossed by the force. It felt heavier than water but moved like it. I could feel bits of rock scrapping across my face. I couldn't control where I was going. My throat burned for the air I wanted to breathe.

My direction changed to a vertical pull, and the last thing I remembered was landing forcefully onto the ground.

* * *

I woke in a tunnel. I was covered in clumps of wet, black sand. I was panting. I wasn't sure if I had been out for a long time or only a moment. I slowly got to my knees and whipped off the sand on me.

The tunnel was perfectly round, and the walls were smooth. I stayed still for a moment gathering myself, trying to remember how I got here. My mind was numb and I found recalling what had happened difficult. It was like waking from a dream that slowly slips away as you try to remember what the dream was about.

The tunnel had some light, though it was still dark. Directly above me was looked like a red electrical current stretching down the bath in front and behind me. The constant movements of light made my shadow shake. I looked down each path, not sure which direction to take.

_Decide well, mortal. Which way you take will decide whether you die quickly or suffer slowly._

I froze, from the voice that spoke as though whispering by my ear. It made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. Fear grabbed at my throat, making it hard to breathe.

_Which way will you take? How will you die? Don't keep me in suspense._

I tried to speak, but I couldn't make a sound. I spent a moment steadying my breathing, and gained some control over my voice. "Wh-who are you?"

_Heh. You wish to know me?_ There was a moment of silence, and then the voice continued. _I am Apep. Do you know of me, mortal?_

'He's a _scary_ snake that lives in the _duat_,' came Horus the Child's voice from the mention of the name.

"Snake…" I managed to croak out.

_Ha ha ha. Very good, child. It seems the stories _haven't_ been lost yet._

"Where are you?" I swung around, looking around me, trying to find a snake slithering on the ground or hanging from above near my ear.

_Where am I? You are looking at me._

I froze, focusing my gaze directly in front of me. I looked all around, but I couldn't see where the snake was hiding. My breathing was quickening again, and I was finding it difficult to keep myself standing instead of curling up in a corner.

"I can't… can't see…"

The voice laughed again, much deeper than before. _Why I'm all around you,_

_ For you are inside me._

* * *

_Author's Notes: Go to profile for author's notes and a short story by me._


	13. The Eyes Don't Lie, Nor Does the Odor

_**Chapter 13: The Eyes Don't Lie, Nor Does the Odor**_

In my mind I had given up.

There was no shame or disappointment in it. In a way, it had felt inevitable. What control did I have? No matter what I did, my fate would always be held to the whims of the gods. I had of my own will submitted myself into their world. What had I gotten myself into? Why did I try to run away from it, run from the judgment of the gods to only fall into the clutches of another greater evil? There was no point. I couldn't even work if I had ended up within the snake Apep by my own doing or if fate had carved this path for me and I was only blindly stumbling to a dance to an ancient prophecy.

There doesn't seem to be words to explain the horror and panic to know I will die and nothing I did would save me. My mind was screaming _Let me out! Get me out of here! I don't want to be here! I don't want to die!_ The mantra was stuck in repeat and felt like shackles that held me where I was. I had staggered backwards, my back hitting against the round tissue wall that my shirt clung to the moisture of. I sunk to my bottom, my limbs shaking from the cries of terror that won't seem to come out.

_How boring_, the voice in my ear hissed. The snake's body started to twist in turn agitatedly and I was thrown this way and that. I let my body limply move with the movements of my prison. Tears started sliding down my cheeks and nose wondering which moment would be my last. What would happen to me, to die already in the afterworld in a god Anubis nor Osiris can reach? Would there be nothing in the end?

I felt relief at the idea of escaping my current torture and quickly hated myself for it. How selfish I am. I would never be able to return home to my Aunt and Uncle and tell them how sorry I was for leaving them without a word. I'm the only one who Anubis has to help collect his heart, and I he would lose that with my death. It was so sad, seeing how the world would play out after I was gone from it. This world is too cruel.

I could feel acceleration despite being rooted to the ground. The cavern twitched in move in clipped precision. I could physically see the muscles bunching up and tightening around me. Every second I could feel my end coming closer and a numb feeling washed over my body as all my emotions abandoned me. I silently waited for the fate to impose its force to me.

There was a roar that caused a bleeding sharp pain in my ears that ripped my sense of balance. I felt dizzy, and almost didn't see the tunnel wall beside me rip open. A wave of black ocean blasted at me. I was cradled in its current. It broke into my prison and pulled me from its walls. I wasn't sure if the sandy water was rapidly throwing me around or if it was my head that was making feel this. I was holding my breath, acutely aware that I would have to breathe in at some point, and I wouldn't have any air to breathe when that moment came.

I felt something grab me. From the glowing red energy I guessed was coming front the monster I had just escaped I was able to see a clawed hand adorned with gold jewelry. Its sharp claws dug into my wrist and I panicked. I pulled away and managed to kick at the arm until it let me go.

Then I was taken away again by the black current. All light left me into darkness, and I allowed the darkness to take away my consciousness.

I could hear the soft sound of ocean waves lapsing on a beach. I vaguely wondered how I ended up on a beach somewhere. When did I fall asleep? Anubis and Paws should still be around here somewhere… but for some reason the thought of seeing Anubis made my stomach twist tightly.

I opened my eyes expecting to see a sunny sky, a wide beach of white or golden sand and blue ocean water. With a jolt I instead saw a dark, dank beach made of onyx sand and ocean water equally as dark as the shoreline. Reality slapped me in the face, and I was again confronted with the terrors of the last… hours? Days? Weeks? How long have I been here?

I lifted myself to my knees. I was covered with sand all over my limbs and clothes. As I wiped the sand off of me, I couldn't help but think I looked like a poppy seed bagel. The idea struck me as being so hilarious I burst out in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. I laughed until I was shaking and my throat was on fire, but I couldn't stop. _'Hungry, Apep? Here's a human covered in poppy seeds. Be careful, though. Eat too many and drug tests will say you're on opium. We wouldn't want anyone thinking you're _crazy _enough to do drugs, now do we?"_

I rolled to over clutching my sides and was instantly sobered. I noticed the beach wasn't the only thing here. Across the shore was a stretch of thick, lush reeds growing clustered tightly together. I stared for a while processing their presence. The bright green color was almost blinding compared to the blacks and greys I had become accustomed to seeing. I slowly lifted myself up, but I wasn't sure what to do. Something in me said that there was something or someone in those reeds. It terrified me after all the encounters I have already had in the _duat_. But I didn't want to be alone, and that's what carried my feet in front of the other into the lush greenery.

It didn't take long for me to feel lost. The reeds were so dense, I couldn't see far past the area I was in. The environment had drastically changed. It felt warmer, with some humidity but not the unpleasant kind. I could hear birds singing songs, though I never saw any of them. The mud seeped into my toes, my shoes having been lost long ago.

_Malinda…_

I froze. The voice belonged to a woman and sounded to be only just a few feet ahead. I crashed through the leaves trying to find the holder of the voice, but there was nothing. Just more green reeds.

_You shouldn't be here, baby._

This time the voice was a man's. I kept pushing through the reeds to wear the voices teased me. I could hear my panting coming in rasps, their pace becoming quicker.

I croaked, "Mom? … Dad?"

I waited, but there was no response. I clutched at a bundle of reeds, holding on as though they were what kept me rooted to the world. My entire body burned. I had been beaten up in so many ways and felt like I've drowned several times. But none of the pain I felt was anywhere close to being as painful as what the long second of their absent voice left me feeling. I felt a sob coming up, but it turned into a fit of coughs in my throat. My eyes felt like they would seal themselves shut. I sunk to the ground, still desperately clutching at the reeds.

_You can't give up, Malinda. You have to keep moving, _I heard my father's voice beckon me.

"How?" I cried. "Why are you here? Why can't I see you?"

_This is Aaru, sweetie_, my mother said softly. _We came here after having our hearts weighed._

"No!" I shouted and I heard the bird's songs die. "How could you go through with that? It's dangerous! You could have… could have…" I couldn't say it. The image of that beast leaping at the heart in the scale was too horrible to say out loud.

_We knew, baby. But you gave us that chance, so we had to try. We couldn't let the opportunity go to waste_.

"… How was I a part of it?"

_Osiris listened to your prayers. With so little still believing in the gods, your prayers were easier to hear. He sent Anubis to collect us at the first gate. We were taken to Osiris and we were asked if we would have our hearts weighed so we could reach paradise._

_ Don't cry, Malinda…_ My mother crooned softly.

"You could have died again… I would have lost you again…"

_We wouldn't have failed, Malinda. I'll lived were blessed by you._

A shaky sound escaped my lips. I was in a giddy ecstasy I wasn't sure was real. I still couldn't see them through the thick brush. Sometime their voices sounded like they were coming in different directions.

"I want to see you…"

_You can't, sweetie. You don't belong here. Someone who is alive cannot experience true paradise in this world._

_ You have to return to the living world._

"I don't want to. I don't want…"

_Malinda, you must._

I shuddered a breath, shaking. I wasn't sure if I could even get up. Or was that just an excuse? I didn't want to lose my parents again. I wanted to stay here and listen to their voices forever. But as I sat looking around me I doubted myself. I couldn't see anyone here. Even the sound of the birds had escaped. I could never be sure their voices were real. Just that would be enough to drive me insane.

"All right…" I pulled myself up with the reeds I kept in my grasp. I let go and looked around me. "Where do I go?"

Just then I saw a pure white bird flying through the breakings of the reeds. I broke into a run after it. _It couldn't be…_ I thought, remembering being in a similar form during one visit to the _duat_. _'Unless you want to stay a bird, you should calm down,' _Anubis' voice echoed through the memory. I couldn't breathe as I ran. I felt light headed and had to stop to throw up, which is pretty embarrassing thing to do in the Egyptian heaven. I thought I would have lost the bird, but it flew in the corner of my eyes and I was able to chase after it again.

The dirt under my feat was changing from mud to rocky dirt. I started seeing stone blocks in my path every so often. I pushed harder on my feet despite how suffocating it felt. But if I could just catch up with the bird, maybe, just maybe…

_Stay safe, baby._

_ We love you so much._

"No…" I whispered faintly. I came around a row of reeds the bird had passed through. It was gone. I had burst out of the clearing into a spacious stone corridor. It resembled the hall where the gods collect in the other part of the _duat_, but there was less of the onyx black stone and redder clay and sandy colored stone. There was a tall, spacious staircase where a brilliant light shined down from above. The staircase was spilt in half by the black river flowing against gravity up the staircase until the light swallowed it. I took a step towards the staircase.

I jumped when immediately after making a move I hard deep growls from either side of me. I looked to see to beasts coming toward me at either side. No matter how many times I see the bizarre creatures in the _duat_, they never failed to surprise me. I had seen sphinx before, but always at a distance. They were far enough that if I only glanced at them I could pretend their faces were just normal lions. These two sat directly in front of me, siting side by side blocking my path.

In their manes where a feline's face should be, there were two female faces looking at me. They were beautiful, with the facial characteristics that defined them as Egyptian women. Their straight noses ended before their plush lips and smoothed out under the high cheek-boned curves that framed everything. Their eyes, I thought, looked large in roundness and brown like mine.

One opened their mouth to speak, and I was struck with a crushing headache. I saw the Seattle Opera house surrounded by a police line, the barren Australian wasteland, and distantly heard _I was Yesterday and – was – called Sef_. Then the other one opened her mouth, and again I was struck with a flurry of images; a train speeding through some countryside, a cat squeezing between cargo boxes, and Anubis crouched to the ground, pushing a Canopic jar away. There was a female voice that purred through it, but I couldn't make out what it was trying to say.

I reeled when the pain in my head left and I could focus on where I was again. The Sphinxes didn't move. They stood eerily frozen in place with me locked in their sighs.

"Umm… okay… Will you… will you let me through?"

My head ripped open and I became lost in a tirade of images and words that moved to quickly I couldn't piece them together. A jackal breaking into a glass cabinet in my home. _Through the petals._ A heart place in an onyx scale, white feathers dancing just out of sight. _Survive the Drought_. Anubis and Kebechet standing together before a landscape in a storm of fire. _Meaningless Prophecy…_ Nephthys in a black and scarlet Victorian dress playing at a grand piano. _Plague the Jackal – _Amun standing with his hand outstretched invitingly before him.

_Whither._

I was on the ground gasping what little air I could, clutching my throbbing head. It took a moment to be aware that I existed, because I had somehow forgotten. I looked up from where I was stooped, and the Sphinxes still watched me from their spot unmoving. I staggered back to my bare feet, but I had no urge to neither move nor speak. I was stuck, and my mind was still half way stuck in the random images and reality to think clearly.

The Sphinxes finally broke their eyes away from me, looking at something behind me. I turned to look at what caught their attention. In a distance I could see a boat floating towards us. It was made with a lighter colored wood than the one I had been sailing in the past months. It was larger from the outside as well, looking spacious enough to hold at least fifty people. As it sailed close I saw Horus' eye painted on its side along with other hieroglyphs that changed between being gold to black as I looked at them. There were scars in the wood as well, as though someone had taken a crowbar and chainsaw and gone crazy on it. Despite the flaws, it didn't seem to be in too bad of shape.

At the front of the boat I saw a tall figure looking down at us. He was a tall, tan skinned man that's defined muscles were easily visible from the Egyptian garb her wore. I plate of straight black hair ran down his back and his golden eyes focused ahead steadily. When I didn't look directly at him, I could see a circular halo of light floating above his head, but whenever I tried to look straight at it the ring wasn't visible.

The boat eased to a stop before where I stood with the Sphinxes. I felt myself shaking, once again aware of being in the presence of a god and one I didn't know. The god looked at the scene in great seriousness. "Human," he said in a soft, but very commanding voice.

"Y–yes?"

"What has brought you to be in this place?"

"I'm… I'm lost."

His brows furrowed at my response. He contemplated me for a moment. His eyes widened slightly before whispering, "You are still living…"

I nodded, not sure what to say. The God strode away and I lost sight of him. He came back in a short amount of time and this time a woman was by his side. She too had a tan complexion and similar eyes but these were the only traits the two shared. The woman wore many pieces of gold jewelry around her wrists, arms, and ankles. Her hair had many colors; oranges, blacks, browns, and white. The colors clumped together and mixed in other places. She had cat ears coming from the top of her head that lay back almost flat on her head. Her hands also looked like a mix of human and feline, with claws I realized in horror looked familiar from before.

But the most curious was her eyes. They were gold like the other god's and slit like a cat's. But something about them glowed. I couldn't say it was completely visible. It was very much like how the Canopic jars would glow for me when I knew they were only glowing in my eyes and no one else's. They burned in a yellow fire that gave power to her stare. It drew me to it, but not in such power that I couldn't resist like the Canopic jars.

She glanced at me only a second before saying something I couldn't hear to the other god. He nodded and in the next instant my surroundings completely changed. I was now standing on the deck of a spacious boat with the two gods standing in front of me.

The goddess twitched her nose in my direction and quickly pulled back in repulsion. "She reeks of that dog!"

"What is your name?" the other god asked unfazed by the goddess' exclamation.

"Nakia," I replied.

"Nakia, how did you manage to come to the _duat_?" he asked with an incredulous tone.

"Anubis brought me here."

"Anubis?" He stared fixedly at no place in particular. "He should know better than anyone than to bring a living human here."

"I would believe it…" the goddess said apathetically.

"You would?"

She smirked while looking me in the eye. "Well she smells like him, and I can see it in her eyes.

"She's the Eye of Anubis."

_Author's Notes: Go to profile for author's notes._


	14. Railroad Hijinks

_**Chapter 14: Railroad Hijinks **_

It didn't sink in that she was talking about me. Instead, my mind wandered trying to figure out who the Eye of Anubis could be. I had never heard of it used for Anubis; only Horus and Ra. Then the idea came to me why the cat goddess' eyes seemed to glow.

"Are…" I croaked which brought a fit of ripping coughs. They waited until I was done and could continue. "…are you the Eye of Ra?"

She smirked, the only confirmation she would give me. I turned then to the man, the golden ring appearing above his head before I looked directly to him.

"And you are Ra?"

He nodded, "I am the Sun God Ra, past King of Egypt."

My heart pounded from my nerves making mockery of the terror I experienced in the past hours. I didn't know how I should react. Do I dare bow? Or what was it right for me to do? I thought I should at least lower my head instead of staring mouth agape at him. It was a bad idea. I moved my head too quickly, and it sent the floor rising up to meet me.

"Watch it!" I heard the goddess shout and I felt a sharp grip around my shoulders. The ground fell away, and I saw the high darkness of the _duat_. The faces of the gods looked down at me, but if they felt any emotion they didn't show it.

"Bastet, I would like you to treat her and return her to Anubis. After that, return to me," Ra commanded. When he said Anubis' name, I heard a low growl coming from her chest. She didn't protest, though. She merely bowed her head in compliance. Ra left my field of vision. Then I was lifted by Bastet.

She didn't say anything while she held me, but I felt terrified. Sometimes I could brush off that Anubis, Horus, or the others were gods. Bastet I couldn't pretend was human, with her cat eyes, clawed hands, and cat ears poking through her calico hair. And I was in her arms, completely at her mercy.

She took me to a canopy in the center of the boat. She laid me down on the colorful pillows that blanketed the entire area. I was becoming more aware of how weak I was. I couldn't lift my head to look around. My whole body, especially the parts of my skin that were exposed, felt like they've been grated with a cheese grater. I didn't feel like I was breathing. It was more of a rhythm of suffocating and swallowing a mouthful of air. I couldn't remember when I had last slept. My eyes felt heavy but I knew I couldn't pass out now. Not with an unfamiliar goddess for my company.

She was kneeled next to me surveying every inch of my body with cruel indifference. She placed her hand firmly over my chest, and I felt that it wouldn't rise again with her pressure. "Don't move," she commanded. Despite my instinct to struggle, I tried to do as she said, shaking with the struggle to keep from coughing. I saw her lips move in silence. They were what I focused on as I felt my body start to change to her command. It was a sensation so strange. Not painful but uncomfortable. I could feel the torn tissues in my lungs weave themselves back together. A feeling of a thousand bugs crawling up my skin replaced the pain. The bones in my fingers I had broken a week before lost their sensitivity. There was even the sensation of someone in the back of my head holding my eyes steadier and clearing my eyesight. All this lapsed together in a span of seconds before it passed.

As soon as Bastet finished, she rose and left me behind with no care. I lifted myself up to my elbows to see her leaning against the boat's edge. We didn't seem to be moving yet from what I could tell. I felt over my arms, my throat… everything was like normal. The past hours were completely erased from my body leaving me healthy and I couldn't understand why it felt so foreign. Perhaps it was the unnatural healing that made me feel like the wrong skin. Or that some things were left broken.

I stood, noting that I was able to keep a steady balance again. I left the canopy and hesitantly stood behind Bastet. I saw her ear twitch when I got closer recognizing my approach. I stared at the lion-like hand adorned with golden bracelets gripping its claws on the boat's edge.

"You were the one that grabbed me…"

"I didn't expect a human to come out of the belly of Apep. You are lucky to be alive." She turned and sat on the ledge, her body facing me bit her head turned to look to the boat's bow. "I wish the sun would rise already. I'm tired of this dark place."

"What did you mean… by the Eye of Anubis?"

She examined me from the corner of her eye, and I could feel a pulse in the aura that emitted from that stare. "You are his eyes; it's that simple. You see the things he desires to see himself. There's not much more to it." She looked away again, and I followed her gaze to see Ra standing with his back to us from the front of the boat. All I could see of him was his long plait of black hair and the glowing circle above him turning more defined. As I looked at him, Bastet said, "You're stench is making my stomach turn."

"Sorry," I replied crossly. "There aren't many showers in the _duat_."

"Che," she sneered. She crossed her arms never looking at me.

The boat rocked slightly as it began to move once more. I watched as the boat floated above the enormous staircase I had stood at the base of with the sphinxes. I couldn't remember much of what happened there, or what I saw. There were only two things that stuck in my head. Once again I heard the word "prophecy" and that was when I saw Nephthys. I couldn't say how I knew it was her, but what I did know was that I've already met her.

We approached the top of the staircase and as we did, a red light grew brighter in the distance. I had forgotten how cold I was until the light was shining on me. It was rejuvenating, in a different way than Bastet's spell had been. As I closed my eyes to enjoy the light's rays, an odd feeling started to creep on me. It started from my heart and spread through all my limbs. It was a discomfort that urged me to move. I could see the front of the boat where Ra stood another light shining.

I ran to the boat's bow with no regard for Bastet's shouts behind me. I couldn't restrain myself at all, so I ran until I was beside Ra at the boat's edge. Leaning forward, I saw the faint green glow through closed eyes at the distance ahead. I gasped. I had been so concerned over my own life I had all but forgotten my original quest. I had not expected I would see a jar so soon.

Then a blinding light filled my vision. Even when I covered my eyes, I couldn't block it. It shined for only a moment and it was gone again. I opened my eyes, but I couldn't see anything but an orange spot that covered everything. I waited for it to fade, but then remembered what I had just seen. I took the handkerchief tied around my neck and tied it over my eyes. I could "see" over the boat's edge the dry landscape of Australia I had just left. The shadows stretched with the light of the sunrise that was devoid of any color in my eyes.

"What was that…?" I asked. I turned to Ra and almost fell over in shock. Standing where Ra had been was someone else entirely. He was tall with dark black hair like Ra, but it was messier than his had been. Although he still looked like he was dressed for an Egyptian exhibit, the clothes were a different style that looked more casual. He wore a shining pendant of a beetle around his neck. Most noticeable was the bemused smile on his face that contrasted so much with the severe formality Ra had.

"Oh, hello," the stranger said. "And who are you?"

"Umm…"

"Ra has ordered me to bring this human back to the god she belongs to," Bastet said from behind. "We will be leaving now."

"Is that so? It's a shame I won't be spending the morning with you, Bastet," the stranger replied cheerily. Bastet made a grunting sort of sound as a reply. She quickly pulled my hand and dragged me away. Behind us the man waved saying, "Bye now!"

"Who was that? What happened to Ra?" I asked.

"Ra will return at midday. That was Khepri, the god of the dawning sun."

"The dawning sun? Oh…" I said. I remembered vaguely from my father that Ra had three aspects of himself. Three different names for three times of the day. I had thought it was strange to call Ra by different names just because of the time of day. Now I understood why.

Hesitantly, I asked, "Do you… umm, not like Khepri?"

Bastet shrugged, "I don't care for morning people. Here. We're jumping off."

Without pause Bastet swung off the boat's edge pulling me with her. I didn't even have time to panic, but our fall was short and we both landed easily on our feet. Bastet took a moment to examine our surroundings before stopping at the sight of the river.

"He should be on the other side. Come on, human."

"Wait!" I shouted. She didn't turn to look at me but she stopped in her steps. "I can't go yet. I can see a jar over there and I –"

"You think I don't know why you have that blindfold on," Bastet said as she turned to sneer at me. "I don't care. I try not to get involved in other god's family problems. It'll still be there when you are back with the mutt. Just come with me so I can return to Ra."

I wanted to argue, but she was already walking away from me. I swallowed my anger and followed after her. The sun was hot, and I noticed the boat we had only just come off of was nowhere to be seen. If it was the morning sun as the stories said, then I guessed it was the sun shining at our backs as impossible as that may be.

I dragged my feet after Bastet, but noticed my vision fading. I didn't feel like I would pass out, but my heart skipped away in panic. I looked around and noticed the green light was fading as well. With dread, I realized what it meant.

"Bastet! The jar is moving away! Fast!"

"I still don't care!" she replied with a dismissive wave.

I stood still thinking of what I could do. All the while the jar moved further away and I had to remove my handkerchief to see. I looked ahead at the river I had been on with Anubis the evening before. It looked peaceful. I was sad to turn away from it.

I took a right and started running as fast as I could. The dirt below my feet was bumpy and rough. I bit back the pain of my bare feet hitting the ground's ragged edges as I kept moving forward.

"Hey! Where are you going?" I heard Bastet call behind me. I didn't stop but continued running. I pushed forward through my gasping breath and the stitch in my side. Even as I ran, I could tell the jar was only getting further away. Then a giant animal leaped over me from behind and landed in my path. I skid to a stop at the sight of the enormous lioness that blocked me, cutting my heel doing so. It was much taller than me, and growled with menacing eyes. I knew from the slight glow to the eyes that this was the same goddess I had tried to ditch.

"I will not stop chasing after Anubis' heart!" I cried at the creature. "If you are the Eye of Ra, you should understand this much! Don't stand in my way!"

The lioness didn't move, but she wasn't growling either. I stood panting, hoping that I hadn't just made a horrible mistake. The dirt below her erupted and from the clouds ofdust the goddess walked towards me.

"You won't be able to catch a train on foot, little girl."

"A train?"

"That's the only thing moving that way." She sighed, and I heard her mumble something like, 'I can't believe I'm doing this.'

"I'll get you on the train. The rest you have to figure out yourself. Alright?"

"Alright."

"Good." The goddess turned around and once again I was standing before the giant lioness. She laid down and turned back to look at me.

"…You want me to climb on your back?" I asked. The lioness nodded. "Okay. Just… don't turn into a frisbee or something."

The goddess blinked, but otherwise she didn't react to my comment. I had to use the lioness' leg to climb on her back as I wouldn't be able to reach her back any other way; she was that huge. I tried to be gentle, but I couldn't pull myself up any other way than to dig my fingers in her fur for leverage. I managed to get on her back and pull myself close to her head. Then she took off.

Gods really need to consider things like saddles, or seat belts. Maybe harnesses. The ride on Bastet's back was equally as terrifying as riding on Horus the Elder's sun disk. I constantly felt like I was sliding off or would be thrown off by how much I bounced on her back. All I could do was grasp her short fur and hope that would be enough.

Ahead, train tracks curved into our path. Bastet ran over them and followed the tracks that straightened out to our left. It was a few more minutes of holding on before I saw the sun's light reflect against the train's metal exterior in the distance. We got closer, and as we did I could see the green glow of the canopic jar draw closer. The train had a modern exterior and was only seven cars long with windows along the sides. Well, except for the last two cars, it looked like the train was for passenger. The jar was in the second to last car, but Bastet ran past it.

"How are we going to get on?" I shouted. I could barely hear myself yell over the sound of the train and the wind beating into my ears. Of course, Bastet didn't reply but slowly pulled further away from the train as she ran. We reached the front car when Bastet made her move. She sharply took a left turn and I nearly slid off her back. I didn't have time to scream as she ran straight into the train.

It was an odd sensation, and not the sensation of colliding with a giant object like I was expecting. One moment I was strewn and an animal's back and the next I'm sitting upright in a cushioned chair. The sudden change of scenery made my head spin. I had to adjust to the open sky becoming ceilinged and being enclosed in a narrow space. In front of me I could see the tacky design of the chair covering repeated in rows of seats. Down a middle isle, a woman with short, curly hair approached me smiling while carrying tongs and a tray of rolled up towels.

"Warm towel?"

"Umm, sure…" She handed me a steamy towel with the tongs and continued asking the same question to those sitting behind me. I looked at how dark my filthy hands looked against the white towel, knowing it was only the power of Ma'at that kept her from asking how a filthy girl got into the first class car. I felt something soft tap at my arm and saw a small cat with a spotted bronze coat sitting in the seat next to me. The cat's tail flicked as it watched the stewards walking down the aisles.

I wiped all the grime from my face with the towel. I stared transfixed at the towel that's white surface was ruined. Its surface was now covered with dirt, black specs of sand, and rusted flakes of dried blood. I felt like I was sinking in a horror refreshed. I could still feel the grains of black sand in every crease of my body. It was like I never left, and I wondered if I would ever escape the _duat_.

"Oi. We're not here to indulge ourselves." I resurfaced to Bastet's golden eyes boring into mine. I had to remind myself why I was on a train in the first place.

"Yeah, just a sec." I pulled my blindfold on again and immersed myself into the black and white world. "The green glow is in the back cars."

"Green?" Bastet barked (or perhaps it should be hissed).

"Yeah. Anubis' heart always glows green."

Her eyes narrowed at me. "You're lying."

I replied, startled, "No I'm not. What does it matter what color it is?"

"It matters greatly. And that evil dog could never have a heart that's power is green in color. It must because you're human. A human shouldn't be the eye of a god."

"Are you always this pleasant to be around?" I asked sarcastically. I quickly regretted it when Bastet whipped around with a growl and destroyed the cushion of my head rest. She glared at me for a few moments while I held my breath. Then she disappeared. A small spotted cat jumped from the seat and ran to the back of the car. I gave myself a chance to pace my breathing again before standing to follow. Although the cut on my foot stung to walk on, I passed it off in my mind. There was worse pain.

I followed Bastet, going down the cars without as much as a glance from the other passengers. It was very ordinary the sound of business men typing on laptops and mothers distracting their children. They didn't feel real, so I ignored them as well. I could tell we were close. I reached for the door to next car, but a man with a buzz cut and beefy blocked me with his arm.

"Sorry, miss, but no passengers are allowed in the –"

He couldn't finish his sentence as Bastet appeared before him. She pushed him against the wall, holding his head back with only her thumb to his forehead. "You will create a distraction for us so we can enter the next car," she purred to him.

The man blinked and all emotion faded from his face. He opened a door to a number key pad I hadn't noticed and started punching some numbers.

I was unnerved by what had just happened and asked, "How did you do that?"

Bastet blinked benignly. "I always get what I want."

The door opened and the man led the way through the small space between the cars. "Why is he coming?"

"I can hear humans talking in the next car. Just keep low and be quiet." At Bastet's words I tensed myself as I followed the two.

The place we entered was not an area for passengers like the ones we had passed before. As soon as we entered we were faced with crates stacked on top of crates. The only light that came in glowed from the cracks between the boxes. The man we followed pointed us to take the path to the right while he turned left. We crept down the path until Bastet stopped at a small space ahead. Through the small crack I could see the source of light; a lamp on a table a group of men sat around.

"Sir," said the man we had followed before, "there is someone in the other car that refuses to leave unless allowed entry. How would you like to deal with this?"

The car was silent until finally one of the men spoke, "Tell them that if they continue to press this issue, they will be escorted off the train at the next stop. Try to imply that the next stop may not be at a station, if you would."

"Yes, sir." The man left the gathering and continued back to the door he had come in. From the sound of the door sliding open and the wind that whistled until it closed, I understood why we couldn't have sneaked in had we been alone.

I tried to peak around the cracks to see what these men looked like. I could see the backs of two who dressed in Arab robes and had curly black hair peaking from their… whatever you call those hats. There were three other men, one standing and the other two sitting. I could not see two of them, but the one that spoke was in my view. I knew he was Australian from his accent. He wore a deep colored button up shirt, and he had his black hair gelled into spikes.

He smiled at the Arab looking men and said, "Now that that is taken care of, how about instead of selling these two items separately, we pair them together and…" After the man started speaking for a while, it became hard to listen. The man standing next him began to speak at the same time, repeating everything he had just said with slight variation. The only reason I could come up with was that he was interpreting, but I could still understand whatever language he spoke.

I heard Bastet growl next to me, her eyes glaring at the men negotiating in the space ahead. "Grave robbers."

"They're grave robbers?" I whispered.

She lightly tapped the crate in front of her and said, "All these are filled with antiques from my home. There are some magic artifacts among them as well."

"You mean they're from Egypt? But I thought there were only grave robbers in the old days?"

Bastet's slitted eyes steadied on me. "Oh, no. They still exist. Much of the old tombs and temples have been buried over the millennia and homes exist on top of them. There is no stopping someone from digging beneath their own house and selling what they find." Bastet growled again and grumbled, "I won't let these thieves pillage my land."

"If these are Egyptian artifacts, then the canopic jar must be mixed with them."

"Can you see it?"

I focused on the green light over Bastet's shoulder and judged how far away it was. I replied, "It's in one of the boxes in the back."

"You get the jar and get off this car. I'll wait until you're done."

"What are you going to do?"

The goddess smirked and purred, "I'm going to take my stuff back." With that, she changed back into a cat and escape between the crates.

I moved to look for the jar but I was stopped by a hand on my shoulder. I jumped and turned to see a black, transparent figure crouched beside me. I could only see its silhouette and it was hard to judge if it was on the wall or close to me. '_Sheut'_ Thoth had called it; my shadow. Its presence surprised me. The shadow lifted its hand and in it was a crowbar. I couldn't fathom how a shadow could touch me or hand me objects, but I didn't think asking this would achieve much. I took the crowbar and gazed into the shadow trying to find any sort of face in the black figure.

"Anubis?" I whispered.

The shadow flickered, and again it was stretched on the wall as it should be. I watched to see if it would move without me, but it stayed steady with my own movements. I couldn't wait around, so I pushed the mystery to the back of my mind and made my way to the back of the car.

It wasn't so easy to move silently. The train was still moving full speed making it harder to keep balance. I did the best I could to slip silently through the crates without attracting the attention of the grave robbers. I edged along the wall until the crate I needed was in front of me.

The crate was one that wasn't completely boarded up but had cracks so you could easily peer inside. The whole crate was filled with an assortment of canopic jars. They had various heads of not just jackals, but also a man, monkey, and bird with pharaoh headdresses. Some were more weathered than others. There were some that were cracked in half or had a missing ear or nose. I could barely make out the position of the one I needed. I squeezed my hand in through the crack, but my hand wouldn't fit through enough to reach it.

I lifted the crowbar my own shadow had just given me. Had it known? It must have, but I couldn't see how it could. If the _sheut_ serve Anubis, then I could guess it's because of him that my shadow would help me. For some reason, I couldn't decide if I was comforted by this or not.

I wedged the crowbar where the nails held the board together. I did this slowly, wiggling it so I could get it apart without making sound that would alert the other men. I got it looser, but then it got stuck. I tried to pull it out, applying more and more pressure. I ended up putting too much force into it. The crowbar twisted the board and ripped the nails out with a loud crack.

"Hey! Who's there?" came the shouts and the scuffle of feet. I panicked and threw my hand into the crate to only knock down half the jars, including the one I needed. They smashed loudly onto the floor. I quickly grabbed a jar that hadn't broken and shuffled through the mess I had made. I was softly whimpering as I heard the footsteps running towards me. I found amongst the broken jars a glowing piece of dark flesh. I quickly snatched the still beating heart piece and started running the opposite direction of the footsteps. As I turned a corner, I met eye to eye with the Australian in the dark shirt.

"Stop right there!"

"Don't let her get away!"

I rounded the rows of crates and turned the corner to the door. There was no one there and I didn't stop. As I got closer to the way out, the whole car rocked, nearly throwing me to the floor. My back slammed against some boxes and I steadied myself. I threw myself at the door, and was able to get into the next car as the one I just left started to shake violently.

"Hey! Where did you come from?" said the man that had led us in before. Obviously he was out of his trance, but I wasn't going to stop for him. I saw his hand go to his waist band, but he noticed the turmoil in the next car and turned his attention from me.

Car to car, I ran clutching the heart and jar to my chest getting away from the end of the train. I didn't rest until I was in the first class car I had come in. I sank into an empty seat and panted for air.

"Are you done with your towel?" The woman from before asked pleasantly. I was so bewildered I stared at her until she pointed to the seat next to me and repeated, "Your towel?" I lethargically noticed the towel I had wiped myself off with before. I picked it up, my hand now completely black from the heart's blood, and silently handed it back to her. "Thank you," she chimed sweetly and walked away without any sign of alarm.

I watched her back retreat until she was out of sight. I stared blankly until I was pulled from my lethargy by a soft pounding in my clutched hand. I opened it and stared at the pulsing organ in my hand. I was odd. Normally I am normally so squeamish I can't sit through a simple zombie movie without getting sick. Yet I was so fascinated by the heart's beating that I felt no nausea. It had no blood chambers or veins to bump blood with, yet it continued its quick pace without a care. It made me wonder what it was that kept a god alive that even their heart wouldn't notice the absence of their body.

I couldn't keep it out, though. I could only imagine what sort of contamination it already has from falling on the floor and me holding it. I took the new jar in my lap and was about to twist the head off but was caught off guard by and object thrust to me in the corner of my eye. I quickly twisted myself away to realize my _sheut_ had returned.

And this time it was handing me a gun.

I stared at the shiny medal of the weapon and at the transparent, black figure. I didn't want to take it. I didn't like what it meant when the crowbar had been given to me when I would need it. I narrowed my eyes at the unmoving figure.

"Why should I trust you?"

The _sheut_ lifted its hand and from it a wisp of shadow floated from it. It turned into a shadow against the seat in front of me and twisted until it spelled a message.

_Because I am you._

I looked at the message, and then back at its speaker. My _sheut_ held out the handgun inviting me to take it. Reluctantly, I took hold of the handle. As soon as I did, the _sheut_ retreated back below me. I couldn't help but look behind me to make sure the bad feeling I had meant nothing. Be it fate, I could see the man guarding the door before stomping to my car.

In a flutter of panic, I replaced the heart piece in the canopic jar. Having nothing to conceal it in, I placed it behind me in the seat using my body to hide it. My blindfold I stuffed into my pocket. I took a magazine from the seat in front of me and draped it over my legs. I kept my hands under it, holding the hand gun as I kept it between my knees.

I flinched when I heard the whistle of the wind as the door was pulled open, but I kept my head bent over the magazine. The man's heavy footsteps went down the lane slowly until he was right next to me. I couldn't breathe and I felt the corners of my eyes burning. He took another step and continued down the lane. Then the steward who had served me the towel came into car looking very flustered.

"Sir, this area is only for first-class passengers. Could you show me your ticket?"

The man showed her something from his pocket and said, "I'm looking for a stowaway. Seen anyone come in here?"

"Not at all. If I see anything, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Much obliged," he responded curtly. He turned to leave and his eyes rested on me. In a split second he backed away and reached to his waist to his gun holster only to find it empty. At the same moment I stood from my seat letting the magazine fall. I pointed his gun at him.

The whole train car reacted. People screamed and scrambled on the floor hiding from me. A girl behind the man I pointed the gun at was curled up balling at being in the line of fire without any way to hide. The man froze, but his eyes darted around his surroundings trying to find some way out. Some way to stop him.

I was shaking horribly. I had my thumb resting on the safety yet I couldn't make myself pull it back. This man may be prepared to injure or even kill me. I had to protect myself. Yet in my mind's eye I saw thousands of feeble souls flooding over endless landscape of black sand for a meager meal of bread and water. I saw Andy smiling at me, and them lifeless as Ammit viciously closed in on him. I could feel currents of a sea of sand beating against me and the jaws of an awaiting serpent to swallow me.

I wouldn't be able to do it. Even if this man tried to kill me, I wouldn't be able to defend myself against him. At this realization, I abandoned my stance and ran away. I heard him take pursuit after me. I ran to the front of the car where I saw the steward disappear to earlier. There was a concession area to one side and a bathroom to the other. I pulled open the bathroom's door and swung it closed behind me. I clicked the lock a split second before I heard the man's body slam against the door. I yelled a stream of curses and threats while he pounded against the door.

The first thing I did was throw the gun to the ground. I hated that my _sheut_ had given it to me. It only showed how much more powerless I really am. I hugged the canopic jar to my chest, having picked it up before running away. The space was small with only a toilet and sink. I quickly realized that I was trapped. It would only be a matter of time before the guard wrestled the door free and had me.

"Someone help me…" I mumbled through streaks of tears. "Anubis, Bastet… someone…" I backed into the corner furthest from the door. I clutched at the jar and myself as I saw from the window the landscape slowly passing by. Then I really looked at the window. It was small, but I guess I was small enough to slide through. The train looked to be steadily slowing down as well.

I clambered to the floor to find the gun I had discarded. By my head the door's wood made a cracking sound at one of the guard's slams. I shrieked, but otherwise kept away from the door. I placed the jar on the floor and held the gun by the XXXX with both hands. With all my strength I swung the gun at the window, but it bounced back. I didn't try again. It was obvious it was a synthetic glass and wouldn't be broken so easily.

I climbed onto the sink. I pulled the safety of the gun back and pointed it at the ground outside, not wanting to hit anything from shooting recklessly. "Please work," I whispered and pulled the trigger. With a loud bang, the gun fired. I wasn't ready for the recoil, my gun slamming into my shoulder. The window now had a circular hole in it. This time when I hit the gun at the window it broke. I ran the gun along the edges to get rid of any remaining edges and unceremoniously threw the gun out the window.

I grabbed the jar and took a deep breath. I went head first out and sat on the ledge with my body outside the train. I was near the end of the car with a metal bar near me. I pulled myself out more, getting to my feet as best I could. With only one hand, I didn't have many options for getting over. I gripped a beveled ledge above me to steady myself, and then threw myself at the handlebar.

I grasped it for a moment but I couldn't hold onto it with my momentum. I fell and only had time to twist myself around to protect the jar. My back slammed into the ground knocking the air out of me. I kept tumbling over hitting every bump and thorn branch on the way. I finally came to a stop on my back. I stared up at the blue sky while my body screamed in pain.

I rolled my head to stare at the retreating train. I noticed the last two cars were missing, yet when I looked in the other direction, I couldn't see where it had been left behind at. They had simply disappeared. I couldn't bring myself to care about the train or where I was. I closed my eyes and silently looked at the gray and white sky.

Something hit against my head. I turned around to see it was a foot, its owner standing over me. Her gold cat eyes watched me like I was a mouse she couldn't muster the appetite to kill.

"Get what you need?"

I lifted one of my arms to reveal the canopic jar as a reply.

"Alright. Get up. We're done here."

I obliged, albeit without some difficulty. My back and shoulders were screaming at me, and the weight of standing made it feel worse. I hobbled over to Bastet, happy to have her call the shots.

Her lipped curled and she turned away from me. It took her a moment to come up with a new course of action. "Dammit, I guess there's no other way. Come here. I know an easier way to travel." She stood directly in front of me and, like the mad guarding the door on the train, she rested a thumb over my forehead and her other hand on my shoulder. "This will feel strange, but stay still."

The moment she finished saying this, my entire vision filled with a blinding light. I felt pressure that pressed at me from all sides. I endured this for a moment and then the light faded away. I looked around at what had been a barren landscape. I was now standing in the middle of a town bustling with life. Cars drove by and people walked the streets past us. The sky was no longer blue but the bright colors of pinks and purples. The street lights above shined onto us.

"Is it… evening?" I asked.

Bastet replied, "I said it would be easier, not faster."

She walked down the street and I followed. She guided us to a hotel not far from where we… teleported or whatever just happened. The place was a decent size. Inside was a large lobby area and a long service desk made of a fine polished wood. Bastet talked with them to get us a room, but I hung back to wait. My mind was sluggish. I couldn't decide if it was because of all that happened or because I hadn't slept since gods know when. I didn't really care which it was. I just wanted the day to end.

Bastet came back with a card in hand and we went to the elevator. She pressed for the top floor and the doors slowly slid shut. After everything that had happened I would think I could easily get through an elevator ride. But my luck didn't work like that. My body turned a hundred degrees hotter. My vision tunneled out until I couldn't see anymore. I couldn't feel where I was anymore. All I was aware of was the voice the vibrated through my entire conscious.

_I will be Tomorrow and – will be – called Dua_

_ The Wind's lyric – free – the petals_

_ The Petals will survive the Drought, the Seed to join – deceived_

_ So that the Jackel will no longer be deaf to the Wind's words_

_ In the end, neither Seed nor Drought will plague the Jackal_

_ will whither – _

"Hey! Don't give out on me now!" came a sharp voice, different from the one I just heard. My vision started to come back to me. I was surprised to be on the floor of the elevator. The door was open waiting for us to depart. Bastet was crouched next to me, grasping at my shoulders. She didn't have an expression with any sort of concern, but at least she didn't look annoyed at me either.

"Can you stand?"

"Yeah… I'm fine." I got pack on my feet and followed her out. Our room wasn't far. She swiped her card and opened the door to a large space. Of course it was a suite. The room we entered was a living area with sofas and a large TV, a bedroom connected around the corner. Bastet was already inspecting the place, but I didn't bother to look around and crashed on the sofa.

"This place will work, I suppose. You should take a bath. You reek worse than you did in the _duat_."

I ignored Bastet. All I wanted her to do was shut up and leave me alone. I curled on the sofa with the canopic jar cradled to my chest. Although I couldn't close my eyes without seeing it glowing, the anxiety I normally felt was gone with my prize at hand. I relaxed my soar body and quickly drifted to sleep.

* * *

**_Author's Notes: __At the end of this chapter you finally get the second part of Sef and Dua's prophecy. In chapter 11 (12 according to FF), we heard Sef's words the day before Nakia met Sef and Dua. Now that it's the next day, we hear Dua's words. Yesterday and Tomorrow. Fun isn't it? So this is how you put them together. Each line will alternate between them, so the order will be Sef, Dua, Sef, Dua, ect. Put them together this way and you will have the original words as they were spoken. Hooray for audience participation! And yes, I suck at writing poems..._  
**


	15. Failures at Trusting All Around

_**Chapter 15: Failures at Trusting All Around**_

It is so hot, I can't breathe. Waves of heat pound on me with each hurricane of air that gusts against me. Even the grass in my clasped hands is warm from the fire. And it is too bright. Much too bright to be night.

_No…_

People are coming. From their houses they come in nightgowns and pajamas. They stand transfixed at the terrible beauty of the fire. They are faces I recognize from living here my whole life. They are faces I see every day, of kids I would play with, their parents and the other families here. Did they know what the fire burned?

_NOOOOOOOO!_

I lift myself off the ground and run to that powerful light. The air's ocean of heat continues to pound its waves against my skin. It lifts and pushes my hair in a chaotic dance. But I am stopped by a man much taller than me. A familiar face. He speaks words that are lies. A cruel reality. I don't listen. I don't want to know.

_"I WANT MY MOMMY! I NEED TO GET MOMMY AND DADDY! NO!"_

I struggle against the large hands that restrain me. My body is so crazy with movement; I no longer know which way I'm facing or what I'm fighting against.

_This isn't happening…_

_ "THEY'RE NOT GONE! LET ME GO! I WON'T LEAVE THEM!"_

Teeth find flesh, and my mouth is filled with the metallic taste of blood. A distant shout. I am no longer restrained and I take off toward the dancing flames. There are more shouts behind me, but they mean nothing. I run like a jackal into the fire.

I enter my home to be in a lush, green forest of reeds. They grow unforgivingly clustered tightly, towering me so I can't see where I am. I force my way between the reeds, and they beat back at me for daring to make a path through them. The mud beneath my feet tries to hold me into its embrace. My feet kick hard off the ground just to keep moving.

_They're not gone… DON'T LEAVE ME!_

I can hear the singing of birds, but they are always far away, out of my reach. I search desperately for them, not knowing where I am going. Everything is a monotone of green reeds in every direction. They grow denser and denser the further I go. Before long I can even find a piece of land large enough to fit my feet into.

_SOMEONE! PLEASE!_

I break through into a narrow clearing. I see the back of a figure standing at its end. The god walks away from me about to escape into the maze of reeds.

"ANUBIS!"

The figure stops and whisks its head around. Chestnut brown eyes steady on me. The young boy turns. As he faces me, he offers his hand invitingly towards me. I break into the run. The mud is relentlessly holding me back. I pound my feet from it feeling it try to hold my feet down like vines trapping my feet. But I push on and nearly collide into the boy giving me his hand. I gladly take the hand, relieved to not be alone.

But this hand doesn't belong to the same boy. Instead of looking into chestnut eyes, my eyes gaze into ice blue. Amun smiles as his grasp tightens around my hand.

* * *

I woke up from my dream with a start. As my prize for waking up, I received many licks to the face until my face was liberally covered in drool. I was startled enough that it took me a moment to realize it was Paws that was greeting me with his tongue in his overly excited way.

"Paws, down," a boy's voice said near me.

Paws snuck in one more lick on my nose before retreating as the voice commanded. I barely noticed as the sound of his voice had me frozen. A lump was blocking my shuttered breath. Was I really so afraid of him? A moment before I had only the lethargic thoughts of a person pulling herself from sleep, yet now I was swarming with emotions, many of which I couldn't define.

I was still lying on the couch, and Anubis was crouched at my feet. He didn't look at me as I turned my head to him. He was focused on the bandage he was diligently wrapping around my foot. At first, I was slightly at awe at how swift and precise his hands moved. Then my stomach turned when I understood why. How many mummies has he wrapped before?

Even after he had finished, he turned his back on me as he put away his materials. In some odd way I was comforted. I hadn't been sure what to expect from him. At least now I knew he was upset with me.

Finally he stood and sat on the coffee table across from me where I could easily see him. He looked drawn down, like gravity was pulling down harder on him. I couldn't read his expression. He didn't speak at all but only stared at me impassively. I eventually couldn't stand it and pulled out the canopic jar that had been clutched to my chest the entire time I slept. I held it out for him to take. He glanced at it and for I moment I thought he would take it. Instead, he pushed it away from him. For a moment, I had déjà vu.

He was about to say something, but then sighed and looked away. The silence seemed to drag and slow down everything. After what felt like a few days wait, he sighed again and quietly said, "I don't know what to do with you."

His exasperation sank in deep, but in a disconnected way I replied, "That's simple. I'm your canopic jar tracker."

"I trusted you."

He didn't say it with anger, but I understood his anger was misplaced, literally. The force of the meaning was still there. I met his eyes and the look of hurt and betrayal were clearly written in them. Yet it didn't affect me. I was only watching a movie of him, not really here. I could only think how strange it looked for him to wear that face.

"Is trust an emotion?" I asked.

"I don't care." I heard the first aid kit slide on the glass as he stood with it. "I hope you understand how lucky you are to be alive. You should never leave my side in the _duat_."

"You killed my friend," I choked. Without even meaning it, my eyes spilled over with tears. The room felt cold and I unconsciously started rubbing my hands together close to me. He towered over me, keeping his face away from my sight.

"It wasn't my decision," he whispered. He left my side, taking the canopic jar with him as he did. Paws came over and laid his head by mine. I sank my fingers into his fur as my chest began to heave compulsively.

"Thank you," I heard before the door clicked shut.

* * *

There are three days I have no memory of. We must have left that hotel in Australia. I can't say what kind of face Anubis wore when we left. I don't know if Bastet was still there, though I'm guessing she wasn't. I woke up one day in my bed on Anubis' boat. I felt entirely numb. It reminded me of my parent's funeral, and at the memory I wanted to turn around and return to sleep.

Instead I sat up and grabbed my tablet from the side table. I barely saw it, not because my room was dark, but another image was fixed in my mind. I believed it was a dream; a field of white flowers slowly dyed in brown and blown away like autumn leaves. They made me remember what I had forgotten, and I felt the urge to hold on to it.

I pulled up a notebook app and wrote everything I remembered hearing:

_The petals will survive the drought._

_ I am Yesterday and Tomorrow._

_ Prophecy_

_ The seed not the drought_

_ A storm_

_ The jackal will whither_

I stopped at the last words I wrote. The scribbles carried no meaning to me, but the voice purred in my ears, "_The jackal… will wither…"_

My heart felt too heavy to carry the words. I ignored them and repeatedly circled the word "prophecy". It was what stuck to me the most, and I felt that if I knew what it was, it would explain why the world was filled with glowing jars I had to hunt down. It may even tell me about how everything will end and how Anubis will come to wither.

But I couldn't look at it anymore. Giant serpents were clawing at my mind and my hands were black with sand. I threw my blanket over my head and returned to oblivion.

* * *

It was the stomping on the stairs that woke me. Someone was going down them, pausing, going back up, pausing, and repeating. Eventually the stranger gave up and went back upstairs. I was left lying in bed, staring at the ceiling wondering how long I had been asleep.

In my stupor, I got up and sat on the edge of the bed rubbing the sleep from my eyes. On the bedside table next to my tablet sat a bowl that had been used and scrapped clean. When had I eaten? I could not recall what had been in the bowl at all. I stared at curiously, thinking of how out of place it was.

Negative thoughts started so swarm me. I hated the bowl was here. I hated how I was here. What had become of me? I smelled of body odor and I could feel my hair was a maze of knots. The skin around my eyes was irritated and itchy. In the past hours (days?) I've felt like I wanted to silently cry in a corner and scream at the top of my lungs at the same time.

But now I was just exhausted; tired of being in bed doing nothing when I was completely unaware if the world still existed. Yet every time I thought of getting up or moving around, the image of Ammit the Devourer being unleashed by Anubis, taking away the heart of the person that had driven me to leave home from the beginning would appear in my mind's eye.

How could I face him again? I've been fooling myself trying to understand the hollow puppet of the god I had given myself in service to. I didn't understand him, and the more pieces of his heart I returned, the more he will become a different person; a stranger. I hated it. Egyptian law and legends were always supposed to be stories that left me with the nostalgia my parents left behind. I had never thought of what the implications of the laws would be in reality.

As I thought of it, I started to wonder if this was my fault. Once again Andy Darnell had been walking away to a horrible fate and I didn't bother to stop him, warn him, or just talk to him. I was oblivious to reality, both when I was just a girl in high school and now that I was the Eye of Anubis. But now I had no excuses. I should have known better. Had I not encountered gods and see their lethal powers? Hadn't the stories I heard as a child proven to be true more than once? Did I not stop him because I foolishly believed there should always be a happy ending?

There were some steps on the stairs, slowly thumping one step at a time. The sound of the creaks and thuds seemed to clear my mind. Who am I to blame anyone when I carry so many faults in myself? I had always, _always_ let Andy down. I could either dwell on it, or make sure Anubis wasn't next on the list of people I have failed, even if he was a stranger.

My mind following this new direction, I crossed the room and swung open the door, the action not bringing back horrible flashbacks as they had before. There was a thud in the hallway right by my door that startled me. I looked out in the hall, and standing by my door was Anubis, his hand holding his head, obscuring his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked the slumped figure.

He peaked at me through his fingers before running his hand through his hair. I couldn't tell his mood, but he seemed tense. 'That should be my question' I heard him mumble as he avoided me eyes. I was about to respond to his remark, but he quickly added in a normal tone, "Do you want to see the Great Wall or not? I don't want to hover over that place any longer if you're not up to going."

He was a bit cross, but not outright angry. It took me a moment to think of how I should respond to him. "Yeah… yeah, I can go."

"Alright." His nose twitched a little before he quickly put his back to me. As he went back up the stairs, he said, "Get ready and come on deck." When he was gone, I sniffed at my shoulder and scowled. Yeah, a dog nosed boy like him would definitely smell that.

I banged the side of my head on the door. Of course Anubis is acting differently. I was pretty sure his trust was returned to him and I spent the first 24 hours after giving him that emotion completely betraying his trust. He was changing into a new person with every jar I collected. I had no idea what that new jar from the train did for him either.

I gave my head another good old, useless bang on the wooden siding before going off to wash off several days of mourning.

* * *

I could happily report that the world did indeed still exist. It had been a while since I had had any fresh air or moved around. We were, as usual during these trips, surrounded by tourist from all parts of the world. It was odd to be around people but welcomed. Although I felt as though I had come from an alien planet from them, I was tired of being isolated.

Paws was also rejoicing the freedom, running down the long stretch of the walls, teasing excited children, and scaring off any birds that dared to be in his path. But even through his rambunctious banter, he would not let me leave his sight. He kept me under his vision like a hawk which broke my heart. There was a time that Anubis had checked out on us so I recognized his behavior for what it was.

For all of Paws' enthusiasm, Anubis was quite the opposite. It was normal for him to follow along without much interest. However, this time he stuck to leaning against the wall, is head hanging down like he was sea-sick. I hadn't realized he wasn't following us and had another scare like at Iguazu falls. I ran against the current of tourists with my eyes on the ground to see if he had collapsed on the ground. But I finally spotted his black and auburn hair at the edge of the wall.

I shook his shoulder and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes… No, I feel horrible. I wish I didn't have to come here."

I cocked an eyebrow. "What's wrong with this place? You're going to have a hard time convincing me you're afraid of heights."

He shook his head. "It's the rotting souls."

"What rotting souls?"

"In the walls."

I looked below me, like I was supposed to see dead bodies in the stone walls or something. Behind me, Anubis said, "The men that died while building this wall had their bodies thrown inside it. They continued to build the wall over the corpses like they weren't there. Their souls have been trapped in the crushed skin and bones of their old body since then. All I can hear is hundreds of screaming voices, but I can't do anything for them."

"Why didn't you save their souls back then?"

"Different laws then." He didn't explain any further and merely slumped his head over the ledge once again.

"Why don't you just head back to the boat then?"

He barely lifted his head to look at me through the parts of his hair. It was a bit unsettling for him to look at me that way. He studied me for a moment and heaved a sigh, "No, I don't need you running away again."

"Oh come on. Don't start acting like a responsible babysitter because I slipped up one time." He straightened up looking offended by my word choice, but I ignored him. "Look, it'll be fine. I just want to reach that tower up there and we can leave. Besides, there really aren't that many places for me to run away to unless I want to brave jumping off the wall."

Anubis glared at me, clearly not liking the idea. Finally, he said, "Keep Paws with you, alright?"

"I wouldn't know what to do without him."

"Alright." He gave one last glance at the hills, and then took his leave. Our boat was an odd sight hovering to the side of the wall down the path. In actuality, I would have to brave the jump off the wall to get into the boat. But first I would reach the higher tower to look at the view.

I made my hike up the wall, with Paws eventually trailing behind me as I did. The scenery really was beautiful. The hills weren't as impressive as the ones at Machu Pichu, but they had their own magnificence. Mist was clinging in the air swallowing the most distant hills from sight. There were birds singing and flitting in and out of the trees below us. On the wall you felt above it all; an outsider to the scene yet seeing everything.

It didn't take long for me to reach the tower. The inside was empty save for one boy leaning out of one of the ledges to look at the scenery. Usually, I would pay strangers no mind and find my own space. But I knew it would be impossible with him. I joined him, leaning my arms on the ledge and looking out at the misty horizon.

"Why do you always have to come to ruin my vacations?" I asked the boy.

Amun chuckled and responded, "It's hard to get you alone. We wouldn't want Anubis to see us and think you're talking to invisible entities."

"Or you could just stop following me."

"That's rude. I just happen to be in the area at the same time as you. I'm being friendly by visiting."

"What would you need to do in–? You know what? I don't care. There's no point with you."

He smirked, and started to lean closer to me. I completely jumped away from him, not forgetting what sort of power this creepy, kissing god had. Undeterred, he cornered me and reached a hand out to my face. He pulled it back away while saying, "You had a beetle in your hair." As proof, he held out his hand with the beetle scurrying across his palm.

I couldn't even give a retort I was so shaken. I was embarrassed and ashamed of how easily he could rile my emotions. And it was like a game to him it seemed. I ignored him and leaned back on the edge. I didn't want to look at him, but I couldn't leave just yet either. He rejoined me with a chuckle. "Don't worry. I'm not here for _that_."

"You knew the whole time."

"Hmm?" I could tell from his voice I had surprised him, but I still didn't want to look at him. "I know everything, but you'll have to be a bit more specific.

"That I'm the eye of Anubis."

I could see in the corner of my eye a smile from the memory of our first meeting. "Well, you have to admit, you do have pretty large eyes."

"All the better to see you with." He laughed, like we were kicking back and talking about the good old days. I finally looked him in the eye and said, "That's it then? I can see you because I'm the eye of a god?"

He tilted his head with an abashed grin. "That's part of it, I suppose."

"Uggh…" I groaned and hung my head. "Direct answers aren't your forte," I grumbled.

"No, they aren't" he happily agreed. "I'm the god of hidden truths. They wouldn't be hidden if I blabbered them out to everyone I meet."

I quietly ignored him, now very irritated. All I wanted was for him to leave so I could get back onto the boat. But he lingered by me. "Hey, how about to make up for your obvious dislike of me, I'll give you some direct advice. What do you say?"

"What kind of advice could you possibly give?"

"Don't give the next jar you find immediately to Anubis. You'll want to hold on to it for a while."

I glanced at him perplexed. "Why?"

He smiled and replied, "Trust me."

* * *

It only took ten seconds to come to the conclusion that being on top of Mount Everest wasn't as fun as I thought it would be.

Anubis was shocked that I wanted to go there (and, trust me, it was clearly written on his face), but nonetheless obliged to my request. I thought it was pretty clever to think of using a flying boat to stand on the tallest peak in the world, although Anubis was quick to point out there are some god exclusive places that are higher up than Mount Everest. I ignored him.

However, even with the coats, gloves, hat, and protective eye gear I picked up in a small town in Nepal, it was completely miserable at the mountain's peak. The wind blew the snow so that any exposed skin felt like it was being blasted raw by a sand blower. I didn't feel like I was breathing air but rather breathing in ice. The extreme low temperature zapped all of my energy. It took a lot of my will power to move my shaking limbs the couple of feet back to the boat.

"That didn't take long," Anubis remarked as I started shedding myself of my winter gear.

"Well, I can at least say I've been on top of Mount Everest, and that's all that matters."

"Right." I picked up my pile of discarded clothes and headed to the kitchen where I could make some warm cocoa.

It had been about a month since I had left my room and visited the great wall. In that time, we have been zigzagging over mainly Russia and China with the occasional other countries like Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam. I had managed over these weeks to keep my mind off of my previous adventures and enjoy seeing the various sights these countries offered. It was only when I slept my nightmares reminded me of the trauma I had endured not so long ago.

Perhaps my favorite visit was in Laos where we went to a town along the Lao river. What was so cool about the place was the river that shot out burning fireballs. I thought they were some sort of silent fireworks or something until I heard a tour guide passing by explaining it was a natural phenomenon that science had no explanation for.

"It sounds like there may be some built up gas under the river. But then again, I don't know how it would catch on fire," I pondered.

"There's a giant serpent in the river that's shooting them out," replied Anubis.

"You're kidding, right?" I asked jokingly. I laughed but then caught my breath at the stern expression Anubis wore. I stopped in my tracks, but, saying nothing at all, Anubis continued down the river's path. "No, you're not joking…" I had glanced at the river and quickly caught up with Anubis.

But what may have been more amusing over the past month was watching how Anubis handled his newly awakened emotion. For instance, just now, as I pulled out some milk and chocolate mix, I carelessly closed a drawer so it snapped shut with a loud bang. Anubis came in just in time to be startled by the noise and recoiled several steps back, his face one of someone caught completely off guard.

It felt strange to me to think of being surprised as an emotion. I had always thought it was more of an instinctual reaction. That said, I couldn't deny that Anubis has shown such a drastic change from before, jumping like a scaredy-cat at everything that made noise. There were even times I've seen him jump at seemingly nothing. Though it was a funny sight to see a god be so jumpy, I could also tell it was taking a toll on him. The emotion was fresh so he was very sensitive to being surprised. If we had another jar, he wouldn't be so easily startled, but we had been traveling for weeks with no sign of a jar. And, of course, there was Amun's warning still lingering in my thoughts.

"I wonder if you can still have a heart attack without having a complete heart," I teased.

Anubis looked taken aback like he hadn't thought of that before. The one good thing that has come out from the jumpy Anubis is seeing him have more emotional reactions to my words. I had started to think he had little interest in what I had to say. My remarks would often times be met with a blank face and a long silence. Now I knew that the things I say usually surprises him. It could just be that Anubis has never spent so much time with an American teenager, but I was pleased that I didn't bore him after all.

He cocked his head in thought and soon responded, "I couldn't have a heart attack from being startled, but I have seen people die from fright. Even so, I'm skeptical a god could actually die from that. That's something Imhotep would know."

"It was a joke, Anubis," I said, handing him a mug and taking a sip from mine. "So, who's Imhotep?"

"The god of medicine. We passed over where he works about a week ago."

"Did we? Why didn't you stop by for a visit?"

Anubis smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "My showing up at a hospital is never a good thing." He stood from the table holding up his mug. "Thanks for the drink. If there aren't any more mountains you want to freeze yourself on then I'll get us sailing at full speed."

"Yeah… I mean, no, I don't want to be an icicle again."

"Good." He left the room without further ado, leaving me sitting alone with my steaming cocoa that didn't seem enough to warm me up anymore.

Feeling bored sitting in the silence, I dragged my tablet to myself and started fiddling with it. I ended up pulling up 'CanopicGPS' and watched the coordinates for the boat cursor update. I finally completed this app a few weeks before, working out all the bugs and quirks on my own without my uncle's encyclopedic knowledge of programming. After drilling Anubis and Paws of where we've traveled (of which Paws proved his genius by being more knowledgeable than Anubis), I had a clear map of where we have been showing the range of my Eye of Anubis powers so that no place went unsearched. The app had several other features that were probably frivolous, but the obsessive organizer in me demanded I include everything I could.

It was while staring at the screen that felt a tug in my stomach made my heart race. It slammed into me suddenly instead of creeping up on me as it usually did. I had to cover my mouth from the hot cocoa that threatened to come back out. I jumped out of my chair, already tugging my bandana from my neck to tie over my eyes.

I couldn't find where the glow of the jar was when I came out on deck. I looked ahead, to my left and right and even below and didn't see it at all. It wasn't until I did a complete 360 that I finally saw a green light among the mirage of greys. I went around the cabin to the back of the boat to see it better. It was directly north from us. It made no sense, because we had already flown over where the glow was coming from and my instincts told me it wasn't that far away from us either.

Anubis and Paws were in the bridge, and reacted immediately at the sight of me in my blindfold. "Where is it?" he asked.

"Directly north of here," I replied.

His brow furrowed, also aware how impossible it was that we would pass by a jar without noticing it. "Is it moving?"

"Not that I can tell. Maybe? I'll be able to tell when we get closer."

"Right. Paws, turn us around. Keep us on course, Nakia."

"Aye aye, captain," I said, and Paws barked which probably meant the same thing. His teeth sunk into the much gnawed into steering wheel and the boat began to swing back to where we came from.

* * *

The jar was in Tibet, the plateau in the western part of China. The land here had barely any vegetation, the landscape a continuous plane of dirt and stone. Yet, despite the barren soil, the sky was full of towering clouds, unforgivingly keeping their moisture high out of reach.

There was no town here. All that was here was a single tower sitting on top of a small hill. It was old, its brick walls painted white save for the yellow and red at its highest peaks. The roofs curved upward as many traditional Chinese buildings do. Drifting from the tower were streams of multicolored flags, like those you would see at a car dealer ship. There was a sizable crowd gathered for what looked like a celebration.

"I don't like this," Anubis said, and I nodded. We were sure something wasn't right about this jar. Having so many people here isolated without anyway to leave quickly made it even worse.

"I think it's past the temple, though, so the jar may not be very close to the temple."

Anubis nodded. We left Paws to the boat as the two of us wadded into the crowds. There were many monks and people native of this region dressed in colorful robes. It was like jumping back in time walking through this place. There were people dancing to music and a crowd surrounding them to watch. Anubis watched with interest as monks would spin a sort of cylinder as they prayed. Further down people were writing on colorful flags and tying them to ropes hanging off of the tower. There were bulls draped in colorful fabrics being pulled through the crowd.

I heard Anubis gasp. At first I didn't think much of it as Anubis has often been caught off guard in the past weeks. It was when he held his arm out to stop me that I realized something wasn't right. I looked at him to see his stare transfixed to something up ahead. I followed his gaze.

Through the crowd came another bull, but this one wasn't pulled by an owner nor was it dressed in any lavish garments. Three children walked beside it, two boys and a girl; all of them of different races, and all of them completely naked. They were covered in dirt, and the little blond girl's hair was matted together that it didn't even look like hair anymore.

The black bull was watching us while it walked by, as did the children that walked at its side. However, the children's eyes were blank, with no iris or pupil. I felt uneasy, and grabbed at Anubis' arm just to know he was close. The muscles in his arm was tense, and he jumped slightly when a touched him. But his gaze stayed locked with the bull as it slowly trudged past us.

The continued their way walking far past us, but the children didn't stop looking at us. It was when the young girl stopped and stood in the distance still gazing at us that something happened.

Anubis, the children, bull and temple all vanished. I was once again standing in a valley filled with white flowers, a place I have repeatedly visited in my nightmares. The petals began to discolor and shrivel until it was nothing more than dead stalks. A large gust of wind sweeps the dead petals away, and with the petals the valley disappears. I was kneeling on the ground of an arid field. I could hear a muffled sound and something was shaking my shoulders. I looked up and saw that Anubis was crouched beside me. He said something, it sounded distant but I could hear my name in it. It took a moment until his voice sounded clear again.

"Please tell me you can hear me, Nakia?"

"Yeah, yeah," I stuttered. "I'm okay."

"… Did Apis speak to you?"

I was silent for a moment not really sure what to say. "… okay, I'm pretty sure I completely misunderstood what you said. A what now?"

"The Apis bull. Did you speak to you?"

"Oh! The bull's name is Apis. Okay… umm. No, I just dreamt something for a second."

"What was it," he asked.

"It was just some dead flowers. It lasted only a couple of seconds."

"But you were out for several minutes."

I gazed into Anubis' eyes not quite taking in what he meant. I looked around and the black bull as well as the creepy children were nowhere in sight. The activities continued despite such a strange event taking place. "I need to stand up," I finally said and Anubis helped me to my feet.

"Are you sure your fine?" Anubis asked earnestly.

"Yeah. What was with that Apis bull anyway? It was creepy as hell."

"Don't talk about a god like that," he fiercely retorted.

"Sorry…" I softly uttered, taken by surprise.

"…no, you're fine. I'm still a bit unnerved. Anyway, Apis is one of the earliest gods and probably the… most bizarre. He has oracle powers and is the source of many prophecies. He doesn't have his own form, so he embodies the form of a bull."

"You thought I had heard a prophecy…"

His eyes took on a strong severity as he strongly stated, "No good can come from prophecies."

"But… can't they warn you about the future?"

"All prophecies do is torment the people who try to decipher them. Follow a prophecy and you become a toy to destiny." Anubis took one more look in the direction Apis had went and made his way toward the temple.

"What about the children?" I asked him.

"He speaks through them. Children are sensitive to a god's influence. Let's get the jar and leave. I don't like the feeling of this place."

"Okay…" I wasn't sure what to make of Anubis' words. He seemed so defiantly against anything to do with prophecies, yet I knew there was something about a prophecy the sphinxes in the _duat_ told me about. If it has to do with me or Anubis, was it really wrong to want to know what it says?

We made it through the crowd reaching a path that lead up the hill to the temple's entrance. From a stone plaque I read this place was called Changzhu Monastery. We climbed the path, fortunately ignored by the locals, until we came to the entrance of the tower. The detail inside was so extravagant, I slipped off my blindfold to get a better view.

Whoever designed the interior really liked their primary colors. The inside was small, but filled with different relicts and artwork. The room was mostly red with its fair share of yellows, blues and greens. The air smelled strongly of burning essence. On a wall was a large embroidery hanging from the wall made of precious stones depicting a woman with many arms. There was also a golden Buddha statue in an alcove at the front of the room.

"We need to find some stairs or something. The jar is down below us." Anubis nodded. We managed to find one level lower than the one we entered, but searching through the temple we couldn't find any way to move deeper below the temple. Instead, we went back to the main level to look for another way down. We probably looked for a good hour or so before we came to the conclusion that there weren't any levels that will take us lower.

"How can the jar be so deep underground? This is giving me a headache. We won't have to dig beneath this temple to get to it will we?"

"No, there has to be something we're missing…" He slumped against the wall in thought while I looked around at the décor. Had I not been wearing a blindfold and seeing everything in black and white, I was sure my eyes would be tired of all the color. But even in black and white the attention to detail was very beautiful. If only this place could have some stairs leading underground.

I glanced back at Anubis and saw him looking at something in the other room. I tilted my head to see what he was looking at. The room was pretty empty and a solid color from what I could tell. In it was a giant cylinder with a bar around it. It looked like the bar was for using your hands to turn it.

"It looks like a giant version of the cylinders they had outside."

"It's a prayer wheel," Anubis stated.

Curious, I made my way into the room to take a closer look at the prayer wheel. The wheel was like a tall column. On it were engravings of some story I couldn't understand. I took a grasp of the bar and began to walk with it, turning it clockwise as the monks had spun it outside. It was hard to move at first, but once I got some momentum it wasn't so hard.

"So they pray while walking like this, huh? I wouldn't be able to do it. I would probably get so dizzy I would start spouting nonsense."

"Nakia," Anubis called, "try spinning it counter-clockwise."

I came to a stop and a second so after me the wheel did the same. "But the monks outside were spinning it this way. I don't want to anger any gods doing it wrong."

"Gods don't care about that kind of stuff. Only humans do. Just try it."

I didn't feel so reassured, but I grabbed at the wheel anyway and gave it a pull in the other direction. It was obviously not made to go counter-clockwise. I had to put my whole body into. I could hear a grinding as I did so and was sure that I was breaking it. I was about to stop but Anubis appeared behind me taking hold of the wheel. "Keep going," he said.

With Anubis' help, pushing the wheel wasn't as much work. During the rotation I noticed that in the center of the room there was an opening in the floor. The wheel came to a top and wouldn't budge. We walked around the column to see passage with a steep path going underground.

"How did you know that would happen?" I asked in astonishment.

Anubis shrugged. "Little Horus was always good at making these sort of hidden passages in his palaces. I picked it up from him." Anubis ducked his head into the underground tunnel and, after a moment, straightened himself up again. "Alright, you stay here."

"You know, the canopic jar probably won't be sitting on a pedestal in plain sight. You'll probably need my help."

"And if I do, I'll come back and get you. I just feel like something will go wrong. You don't need to be in the middle of that."

"…just be careful, then."

"I'll be back soon." Anubis jumped down into the passage. He disappeared from sight quickly and soon the sound of his footsteps faded away as well. I sat by the hole in the floor listening to the festival barely audible from the tower waiting.

Sitting still didn't last long, and I was soon pacing the floor. I didn't like being left behind at all. I had that same feeling as Anubis did that this jar was different. Between it suddenly appearing in a place we've already covered ground, the creepy Apis bull showing up, and now secret passages that you would have to be a god to even dare to try in this culture it seemed like too many strange scenarios to trust. And there was also Amun's warning…

Would Anubis swallow the piece of his heart as soon as he found it? He has done it before, and it could be that there is some booby trap underground that could be triggered or something if he does. Or Amun was lying, but with how this day has been I was willing to entertain the thought that he was being truthful. I was bouncing on my heels in a moment of indecision.

In the end, I couldn't hold back the sick feeling I had in my gut. I lowered myself into the passage and let myself drop into the darkness.

* * *

_Author's Notes in my profile._

**_A question to readers: Who is your favorite character(s) and why? I'm curious :D You can answer in a review or pm._**


	16. A Hot Dog Skewer Decides our Fate

_**Chapter 16: A Hot Dog Skewer Decides our Fate**_

I felt stupid for jumping into a pitch black whole without a flashlight. It took me a few minutes to feel through the things in my bag trying to figure out by touch where mine was. Although Anubis had a few things like a flashlight on him, I don't remember seeing him use it. Anubis wasn't a cat god like Bastet who could probably see in the dark. However, my strange ability to see glowing organs didn't help me at all where there wasn't any light. I turned my flashlight on and looked into the tunnel ahead.

The tunnel didn't look like it was made as part of the temple. After all the care to detail the creators of that building put into its making, this passage lacked any sort of grandeur. It even didn't have anything in the path to help you from falling or places for torches to keep the path lit. I wasn't sure how or who had made it, but it felt as though I had left one world and entered another.

The only sound was a soft hum of air moving. Every step I took crunched loudly under my feet. The path was bare without any differentiation. I couldn't mark how long I had been walking or how far I had gone. The steady decline was enough to tell me I was going deeper and deeper. My only faith in where I was going was seeing the glow of the jar grow closer as I moved.

My anticipation grew as I went further. My heart was quickening its pace as I moved closer. I was so focused on the green glow I was caught off guard by a sudden flash of light right next to me. I screamed. My back slammed into the opposite wall of the tunnel trying to get away from what instantly appeared beside me. My eyes had to adjust to the light to see what it was. But all I saw was Anubis leaning against the other wall with one arm crossed and the other flashing his flashlight at me.

"That scared the shit out of me!" I exclaimed.

"I knew it would," he replied. I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes. _Ha ha, jumpy Anubis learned a new trick_, I thought. Anubis pointed his flashlight to the ground and closed the gap between us. It was still dark, but the light was just enough illumination to see the sternness in his expression.

"You don't listen very well, do you?"

"I don't like being left alone."

He wavered a bit, uncertain of how to react. He broke eye contact and stared at the ground as he tapped his flashlight against his leg. "I should have left you with Paws."

"Look, I get it. You don't want me walking into more hell holes." Anubis scowled, but I merely shrugged. "I just don't think being alone in some temple is a great idea. We're nearly there. Let's get the jar and get out of here."

Anubis sighed and continued down the path calling "Stay close," as he did. I followed behind him. I trained my light on the ground to be sure I didn't trip while Anubis illuminated the path ahead. I expected the path to curve. The glow of the jar, as we got closer, was more to the right than straight ahead. But the path didn't deviate. It wasn't until the jar was completely east from us that the tunnel ended with a doorway on the right wall.

"Turn off your flashlight," Anubis commanded. I did as he said. With the lights off, it was immediately apparent that someone else had been, or was, down here. A light poured out from the doorway; a kind of light that flickered like fire. We stood standstill, not daring to make a sound or look inside.

"Still want to come?" Anubis asked.

"Let's get it over with," I said tepidly.

The doorway was ornate despite the bare tunnel that led to it. Two columns surrounded each side with decorated motifs around the opening. I could smell the burning oils as we cautiously entered.

The room was the size of a stadium. The floor was engraved with an ancient drawing of a woman dressed in a long flowing dress. Embedded in the wall at different parts of her body were statues of buildings, a replica of the one we entered in at the woman's left shoulder. Where her heart would be was a raised platform also engraved with the features of a temple. On its center was a pedestal holding a glowing canopic jar on top of it.

"Nevermind," I whispered. "I guess it would be sitting on a pedestal in plain sight."

Both Anubis and I jumped as the sound of clapping echoed in the chamber. A man appeared stepping out from behind a statue. He was tall and dressed very modestly with a buttoned up shirt and scarf, black slacks, and polished shoes. His hair was slicked back but still had messy locks of hair falling out here and there. I couldn't see any color so I could only guess his hair was perhaps brown, but I could tell he had a tan complexion.

He continued to clap, benignly smiling as he did, until he was in the center of the room. He stopped and held out his hand in a welcoming gesture that instead made me want to bolt out the room. A staff materialized in his right hand. I thought it resembled a reaper's scythe but with a much shorter blade. The opposite end was forked like a skewer you use at a campfire. I guessed you could reap your corn and cook it over a fire with one tool; the ultimate cookout utensil.

"Welcome Anubis, and friend," his voice rang, pausing to bow in my direction as he spook. "Congratulations on finding the place. Did you have any difficulties getting here?"

"What are you doing here?!" Anubis exclaimed. He sounded completely flabbergasted, his expression of clear disbelief and confusion.

The man stumbled aside gesturing to the pedestal. "Do you see? I found one of your jars. Ha! You've been looking for them, am I right?"

Anubis stood transfixed, unable to respond through his surprise. I had no idea who this was or his relation to Anubis, but his voice sent a chill through me the same way Apep's had. In a dramatic gesture, the man backed away inviting Anubis to walk by. "Go ahead. By all means, take it."

Anubis teetered between each foot, still not sure of what to do. He finally took a deep breath and moved forward, muttering, "Stay here," to me. He walked across the room not looking at the man as he passed him. He didn't make it to the platform. Halfway there a wall of light appeared where Anubis walked. Sparks shot out, and Anubis was violently thrown across the room. The stone ground cracked where his body bounced and he crashed into the western wall, a cloud of dust hiding where he landed.

I couldn't speak. My breath had stopped. I was dumbfounded trying to take in how quickly the situation had changed. I was startled by a sharp laugh. The man seemed beside himself in his hysteria, but he pulled himself together to say, "Oh my! Ha ha! I completely forgot to mention this. There's a seal there," he pointed unnecessarily to where the wall of light had appeared. "Over there. Did you see it?" I wondered if he was addressing me, but he was talking to the cloud of dust enveloping Anubis. However, from his tone, you would think the man was having a casual conversation with someone directly in front of him. I couldn't tell if he could see Anubis or if he was truly insane.

"The seal won't let a god take the jar. Only a human can. But look here!" he exclaimed turning in my direction. "You brought one with you!"

He started towards me, grinning and holding his arms out as though for a hug. My knees were shaking and I could only manage a small step back before he reached me. His expression contorted in dismay and I thought he was reacting to my frightened expression. Instead, he said, "Now how can you possibly see with that blindfold on. Here."

I couldn't move at all. I had no choice but to stand there as he reached behind my head to remove my blindfold. His closeness made my mouth go dry. Even though I could still see with my eyes covered, when he took off my bandana, my surrounding took a drastic change.

The fire torches that lined the walls didn't burn like regular fire as I had imagined. They glowed with a red light that seeped into every crevice of the room. Everything was dyed in red, even the man before me. That's why it took me a moment to take him in.

I couldn't be sure if his hair was really a dark red color or if it was only the light. I knew, though, that lighting alone wouldn't make his eyes such a brilliant shade of crimson. It flashed me back to several spells I had seen: the spell Khonsu used to seal Anubis, the boyish figure of the young magician made of red light, the magic that same magician used in the barren field in Australia…

"Set…"

"Now you can see me. What a twisted habit Anubis has putting a… blindfold on you. I hope you will excuse my neph… my step-son's behavior."

Anubis was behind me and pulled me away from Set, putting himself between us. I was momentarily startled he was there having not heard him approach. Besides the dust on his clothes, you wouldn't be able to tell he had been thrown into a wall.

"I don't like you touching her," Anubis scolded.

"And I don't like you blindfolding young maidens, not that it's any of my business. You know, I believe that –"

"Why did you send a magician to capture me?" Anubis interrupted.

"Why, to bring you here; to your jar," Set replied like it was the most obvious answer. "I realize it turned into a fiasco, and I do feel sorry for that. Se-Osiris turned out to be… more volatile than I had anticipated. He betrayed me in more ways than one, which is why we have this seal here. It was placed here by his doing."

"…how do I know you're telling the truth?" Anubis said with slow uncertainty.

Set's demeanor completely changed. His face softened and he looked at Anubis with a terrible compassion like a mother to a child. "I could never wrong you. You are the closest to a child I could ever have." He stretched his hand and brushed his fingers through Anubis' hair. Anubis still looked uncertain of Set but didn't pull back. Set added, "Have I ever done ill towards you, Anubis?"

Anubis furrowed his brows and cast his eyes down. He then looked into my eyes and I could practically see the internal battle going on behind them. He finally mumbled a barely audible, "Fine." With his hand to my back, he guided me away from Set and toward the jar.

"As soon as you get the jar, run back so we can leave."

"You're going to trust him?" I asked. It was more curiosity than disbelief that compelled the question from me. Even though I knew Set to be an evil god, I could sense from their interaction a complex relationship I didn't really understand.

Anubis shrugged. "He's right. Set has never acted out against me, and I think my mother has something to do with that. I'll just have to trust her on this."

We stopped halfway through the room. I couldn't see the seal, but I knew from this point Anubis couldn't continue on. He nodded to me. I took a step forward holding my breath, but nothing happened. I kept walking, my feet the only sound in the room like a solitary heartbeat. I walked over the belly of the woman engraved on the floor and up to the pedestal. Even though my body was anxious to take the jar, I felt reluctant to touch it. But Anubis was behind me waiting, so I shifted myself to be ready to run and took the jar.

There wasn't enough time for me to react. The stone floor I stood on turned to sand. Everything sunk into it including myself. My legs were swallowed into the ground up to my knees. I had to steady myself on the half sunken pedestal to keep from falling.

I could hear in the distance behind me some commotion but couldn't make out what the sounds were. I twisted my body soon enough to see Set walking towards me and Anubis throwing his own body out of the sand to catch him. But again Anubis struck the sealed wall that bursted into being to stop him. He was more prepared this time and moved his body so he landed, although roughly, on his feet quite some feet away.

Set took no notice of Anubis' struggle. He seemed giddy with a skip in his feet as every step he took brought him closer to me. I was frozen and couldn't even bring my mind to think of escape. The only thing that stopped Set was Anubis' cry.

"You lied!"

Set spun on his heels and replied, "Did I?"

"You said the seal keeps out a god."

"No, no, no. I _said_ it keeps a god from getting the jar. I asked if you saw it. You _see_, Anubis…" As Set spoke, the sand by his side began to swell and rise. He reached his hand into the mass and grabbed hold of something. The sand fell away revealing some blackish lump of fabric. I couldn't tell what it was until I saw the hand with crimson threads twisting around it. But the threads were dripping and making a small pool in the sand. Like the pool Anubis' crippled body laid in from that ancient memory Amun had made me live through before.

It wasn't until then I understood that I was looking at a corpse.

"See, this magician here," Set said holding up the small body higher while leaning on his staff. "Remember him? He put a seal on that jar to keep gods from touching it. It was his dying act you could say." He threw the body to the side and it hit with a sickeningly loud crack against the wall before crumpling to the ground. I couldn't get over how disturbing it was that it wouldn't move.

"Then what about the seal on the room?" Anubis brusquely retorted.

"Oh, that?" Set remarked with an apathetic wave of the hand. "I made that specifically to keep you out."

In a manner like he was bored with the conversation, Set turned his back to Anubis and approached me. As he came closer, I noticed that his staff wasn't like a reaper scythe like how it looked from a distance. The end wasn't sharp at all. Instead it was shaped like an elongated animal head. Set seemed comfortable with the staff, spinning it in his hand with great ease. He stopped directly before me with a hungry yet delighted stare that chilled me.

"And that leaves us with you; the human Se-Osiris believed would bypass the seal for Anubis. What are you? His concubine perhaps?"

"Fuck you," I swore. Although I had been frozen in my fright, his insinuation lit a spark that brought me out from it. I was still terrified, being stuck in the ground without any way to protect myself. But I was also burning with anger for this whole set up.

"Ooooh~,"Set cooed with glee. "I like you. You have some bite." He slapped my face with enough force to make my ears ring. I fell, but having my feet trapped in the sand I couldn't control it. The side of my head hit the edge of the pedestal. The pain slammed into me and I hit the ground not able to think. I tried to grapple with my senses, aware there was talking but my ringing ears drowned it out. A shadow fell on me and I looked up to notice Set crouched beside me.

"I am not here to hurt you, sweetheart. I just want the jar. Now give it here and I will let you leave."

I had only become aware of it now that I had managed to keep the jar clutched close to me. My grip tightened. I only managed to find a small ounce of my fire from before to retort, "I told you to go fuck yourself."

His good humor was gone, and I knew I wouldn't be able to stop the inevitable pain that was to come. I wasn't ready for it, but I resigned myself to it. His staff began to glow red and he held the skewer to my face. My vision suddenly went black and I thought I had fainted. Yet I could hear Set shouting before my vision returned, or rather the black thing blocking my sight moved out of the way.

I could now see that Set was being held back by a hand, one that was pitch black. The midnight black figure grew out of the ground. My shadow, the _sheut_ that had helped me before, stood between Set and me. It pulled Set to itself and used the other arm to elbow him in the chest. The force of the blow was so great it threw him across the room until he landed at Anubis' feet.

"I will not forgive you," Anubis stated without any anger but merely stating a fact.

"Well, that's good," Set replied as he used his staff to pull himself to his feet. "I don't need any frivolous things like forgiveness."

Set's figure erupted into sand that began to turn the grains of sand around it. In no time at all the entire room was a chaotic sand storm. I couldn't see where Anubis was anymore. I had to keep my eyes closed to keep the blowing sand from getting into them, but because of the jar clutched to me my closed eyes didn't prevent me from seeing.

My legs were still stuck within the ground, but the storm was loosening its grip on me. I put the jar in my sling bag before digging my fingers into the ground. I began to pull as hard as I could. Slowly my legs began to come out. I kept digging my hands into the sand trying to keep my grip even as the sand slipped through my fingers.

When I was nearly out, I saw something tunneling under the sand was coming towards me. I tried to move out of its way but my feet were still trapped. Out from the ground came a large, black beast with tall yet strangely square ears and a tail that spilt into two. The creature dove for my bag, its red eyes fixated on it. I tugged it away. The creature only managed to tear the sack before diving back into its beige sea. The gusts of wind quickly took the jar from the rip of my bag. As it rolled away from me, I frantically clawed at the ground trying to break free.

I finally managed to free my feet from my trap, but I was struggling to see where the jar went. The bright red lights of the room had burned a green afterimage in my sight camouflaging the jar's glow. I stumbled through the storm barely able to keep to my feet. The dust distorted my vision. There was a moment through my struggling that I thought I had stepped on a scorpion, but it was only a trick of the storm. When I looked again there was nothing there.

Through it all the only sounds I could here were the howls and whistling of the wind. My throat was raw as I couldn't keep from inhaling the blowing sand. It took a strong strength of will to keep myself moving despite my burning lungs.

I saw the black beast before I saw the jar. The creature was half emerged in the sea of sand, yet tore at a high speed in order to reach the jar. I broke into a sprint, fully realizing I wouldn't make it in time. I moved by instinct, not thinking of what I would do confronting this beast by myself. Yet I didn't have to confront it. As the creature opened its jaws to take the jar, another creature, a much smaller one, leapt at it. Despite his size, the sand colored animal was able to throw the beast off its path before they both disappeared within the storm. I grabbed the jar without stopping and continued to sprint.

I didn't know where I was going. I pushed my feet against the sand all the while growing more exhausted with each step. I eventually came to one of the temple statues that lined the walls of the room. It had fallen over to its side but still provided protection from the wind. I took refuge behind it, trying to catch my breath which turned into a fit of coughing. I could taste blood in my mouth but I wasn't sure where I was bleeding from. I thought perhaps it was from the blow Set dealt me to the face, or the sand I had inhaled had rubbed my throat raw. Whatever it was from was enough to remind me I was alive, and I was in danger of losing my life.

When it hit me, I was terrified. My breathing became more labored the more I valued that I could still breath. Even if I wanted to run and escape this nightmare, I couldn't bring my legs to move. I was stuck in my fright like a weak, terrified animal. I hated myself for being so helpless.

I jumped when one of the creatures came from above the statue I was hiding behind and landed before me. I gasped, and then fell into another fit of coughing. I had half a mind to get away from the beast, but a hand stopped me. I looked up to see the creature wasn't here, but Anubis stood next to me. He had some cuts here and there but looked okay.

"Are you okay?" he shouted over the sound of the storm. I merely nodded, not certain I would be able to speak. He gave a nod, then looked over the statue to examine the situation. Satisfied with whatever he saw, he shouted, "We're leaving! You have the jar?" I held it up as confirmation. Showing it to him reminded me why we were here to begin with. My fear ebbed a bit when I had something to protect, but I also knew that that beast, the monster of Set, wasn't going to let us leave so easily with it.

"Let's go," Anubis said.

"Wait," I croaked grabbing Anubis' jacket. He turned to me and I cleared my voice before shouting, "Drink it now!" I held the jar offering it to him.

"There is no time! We have to get –"

"Your heart is what he wants, but he can't take it if it's inside you."

He looked me in the eye for a split second, but seemed to come to the conclusion that arguing with me will take longer than swallowing a heart piece. He had time to take the jar and break the head off before our surprise guest arrived. It came from under the sand. Exploding from the ground, it launched itself into the arm that I had been holding the jar in seconds before. The pain was excruciating as I felt every tooth in its muzzle pierce into my skin and muscles. I saw an arm swing at the beast. Anubis lodged the broken jar into the eye of the creature. It did more than just stab it. The skin around the infliction began to change, but I couldn't tell if it was melting or rotting away. The beast cried out, releasing its hold on me. I curled into myself, grabbing at my injured arm. Between the pain, I noticed a shadow from above us as the beast made its escape. Anubis had an arm around me as support.

"Nakia? Can you hear me? Can you move?"

I lifted myself up to show I could still move. When I did, the storm that had raged the room immediately dissipated. The room was still and deadly silent. It made me more nervous than the storm had.

"Are we hiding now?" chimed Set whimsically. I squeezed my eyes closed at his voice, wishing I was anywhere but here.

"Stand," Anubis softly commanded. I complied without a thought, letting him support me as he led us away from our sheltered spot. Set stood where the pedestal had been, now broken off and strewn several feet away. He also had some injuries scattered about, and the skin around his right eye had rotted away. The exit was just behind us and there seemed to be a good chance we could make a break for it. But Anubis didn't try for escape. Instead, he stopped to face Set.

"I'm done with your game. We're leaving," Anubis said sternly.

"Of course you are. You won this game. You retrieved your heart before I could. You have every right to leave." I could feel Anubis relaxing and shifting to turn before Set continued, "It's just a shame Little Horus and the young lady had to get hurt during our game."

Anubis stiffened and shouted, "What did you do to Horus?"

Set started to chuckle and replied, "It's silly, really. See, there's this large hole in the Karakum Desert that some stupid humans lit on fire and has been burning for decades. Since they call it 'the gates of hell' I figured it's pretty deep, but I wanted to know just how deep. So I threw Horus in to see if he could find out for me. Oh, don't make that face! For a sun god the fire shouldn't hurt him, that much."

I could feel Anubis start to shake which confused me. I wanted to look at his face but my eyes couldn't leave Set as he began to leisurely walk towards us.

"Let me just say how deeply sorry I am for hurting your little concubine. And I know my butting heads with Horus has been causing you problems. In all honestly, there are many things I should make amends for."

Set stopped his pace. He stood confidently with his hand resting on his staff, smiling as he intently stared into Anubis' eyes. "However, killing your father; that is something I'll never be sorry for."

Anubis' grip under my arm tightened to the point it was nearly painful. Now that I was sure Set wasn't coming for us, I took my chance to steal a glance at him.

The only emotion that showed on Anubis' expression was rage. It frightened me not only to see his anger for the first time but the intensity of it. He still had blood running down his chin from swallowing his heart that, with the deep lines on his normally relaxed expression, made him look like a feral animal. A low growl erupted from his chest as he began to loosen his grip on me. "Anubis…" I cautiously uttered, worried that the boy next to me wasn't the same god I had entered this underground chamber with.

But in an instant he was no longer beside me. Anubis tore himself from me to go after Set. I fell to my knees at the loss of his support but was too stunned to try and stand again. I watched as Anubis quickly ran across the room with murderous eyes focused on Set. I could sense something was wrong when I saw Set's grin grow wider. My heart dropped to my stomach.

Then came a roaring crash from the ground as tons of sand and stone erupted into the air just a few feet from me. The air filled with dust. I couldn't see what was happening other than the obscure shapes of giant stones breaking away as a giant figure rose from the floor. I squinted my eyes to see through the dust, desperate to know what had happened but still frozen in place. I heard Set's hysteric laughter before the dust finally settled.

What had emerged from the floor was a creature with the body of a scorpion so huge it reached to the ceiling in this cavernous room. Where its head should be the body extended into the torso of a woman. I recognized her as the scorpion goddess we had encountered in Australia almost a month ago. She even wore the same black biker jacket she had worn then. Her tail extended up to the ceiling ending in a stinger as long as my body.

And affixed to the end of the stinger was Anubis.

I gazed motionless as the weight of the horror I saw sank into me. The tip of the stinger had pierced through his back. Anubis' eyes were wide; staring blankly as his hands searched for something to grab that could free him from the pain. His body began to slip. The tip of the stinger was distinguishable as it pushed from inside Anubis' stomach before his skin gave way and tore open with a grotesque sound that showered the ground with blood. The goddess smirked and tipped her stinger. Anubis' body fell lifelessly with a thump and did not move.

All that seemed to exist in the room was Anubis' bleeding body and the piercing laughter of Set. I should have been screaming, but the sound wouldn't come out. I curled into myself as though hiding from what was happening would make it not exist. I was shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down my face as I knew this was the end. We were both going to die here.

In some distant place I couldn't see, I heard Set praise, "Well done, Uhat! Just fantastic!"

"Thank you, my lord," a female voice replied. "It felt good to get back at the mutt."

There was a moment of silence before Set said, "Now to take care of the human."

My body started shaking violently. I hugged myself in a tight grip. I was more terrified than I had ever been. There was an instinct in me that said to fight, yet after seeing the cruel power these gods held, I had no will in me to keep fighting anymore. I was so vulnerable, so helpless and weak, that there wasn't anything I could do to change things.

Then an odd sensation slammed into my mind. I felt as though my brain was being squeezed into one side of my head, yet this feeling wasn't physical. It was like a part of myself I was never aware of was suddenly being pushed aside.

_Don't give up on me, _we thought.

The shaking of our body lessened and we pulled ourself up from the ground. Set was approaching us with his staff in hand followed closely by Uhat, now in a human form and normal sized.

_Beg._

"Please don't kill me," our voice quivered. "I'll… I'll do anything, just don't kill me."

Set stood over us and seemed to contemplate before asking, "And what could you do for me if I let you live?"

We froze, one half wanting to lie while the other wanted to say anything to earn his trust. The latter won over and we replied, "I can help you find the rest of Anubis' heart. I can… I can sense them."

"Hmm?" Set didn't move from his imposing position over us, but we didn't dare lift our head to look at him. There was a heavy silence before he commanded, "Stand."

We complied, half relieved to get on our feet and half still frightened of what Set was planning. We looked him in the eyes. Set seemed to be both curious and amused as he regarded us. He smiled and said, "Your offer is very sweet, but as you can see Anubis is as good as dead. What use can some fragments of his heart be? I could care less about those."

One half knew this wasn't true and knew we could argue this point. When the other half understood this truth, it became fearful of sharing that knowledge with Set. However, the former half had a strong will and, despite conflicting emotions, pressed on, "He won't be completely dead. Not if parts of him still survive."

Set furrowed his brow. Behind him, Uhat crossed her arms and gave us a suspicious look. We averted her gaze, keeping our focus on Set.

Once again, Set's demeanor made a 180, going from gravely serious to flirtatious. He took a step forward, closing any space between us, and played with a stand of our hair. We stood still but willed our body to keep shaking even as a detached calm was washing over us. We made a note that Set's _was scepter_, the name of the staff one half of us supplied, was only a short distance from our hand.

"I suppose you could prove to be useful after all."

"Then you'll let me live?" we pleaded.

"For now." Set smiled and let the strand in his fingers fall from his grasp.

_Let go._

At first the meaning wasn't clear. Then there was a sensation of one half taking complete control of the other. It instinctually resisted this alien presence. Then it felt a link to the other. It was scared, scared of dying just as much as the other half was. The half didn't fight and let him take over for them.

As Set opened his mouth to say something, he grabbed hold of Set's _was scepter_. One touch was enough for him to feel the red, chaotic power swirling within it. But that power was quickly diminished by his own. Red turned to black and the _was scepter_ was his to control.

He wasted no time pulling the scepter from Set's grasp and using the amplified power to throw him from his feet. Uhat reacted immediately closing in on him with her own power bleeding out from her. He let her come, baiting her. He stepped away at the last second, opening a bridge into the 34th nome, 19th hall of the _duat_; a relatively out of the way section of the _duat_ but a bitch to get out of. Uhat saw the trick and tried to evade, but he called on her _sheut_ and willed it to be taken in. Uhat had no choice but to follow her shadow in suit.

However, he was pulled into the ground as well. His surroundings once again turned into a dust storm. The sand below his feet encased him. But the sand rushed at him in an unnatural way. They acted as one coming at him like thousands of blades. His instinct was to fight through their power with his own, but he reminded himself that the body he was in was much more vulnerable. Instead, all he could do was hold his power protectively close to him as the sand pulled him deeper into its embrace.

A figure appeared through the torrents of the storm. With the face of a beast this figure tried to grab him, but he still held his will as a shield. Set's will clashed with his as his fingers tried to close in those few centimeters that prevented Set from touching him. He still wanted to retaliate, but it was too dangerous. He kept his defense, but also started seeping a fraction of his power into the _was scepter_.

Set glowered down at him as their wills battled in the storm. He knew Set was giving his all. He had taken the form of the old times. To have the best advantage, Set kept the strength of his human form, yet his head took his other form to have the senses of an animal. Set could take this form but he couldn't, being confound in a mortal body. His best chance was to wait for the right moment no matter how much he wanted to attack at Set immediately.

Their wills continued to rage and become more chaotic as they fought against one another. Set leaned forward with a roar and stared deeply into his eyes. It was then he seemed to come to a realization and narrowed his gaze. "Anubis!" he growled.

He didn't dare wait a second longer. He slashed downward with the _was scepter_ with a speed that was greater than the sand the continued to try and pierce at him. The power he had collected threw itself like a blade. Set evaded enough to miss most of it, but not all. His power took hold of Set's shoulder and he willed it to spread out like an infection. The skin deteriorated as well as the muscle underneath. Gold bones showed from beneath but began to turn to calcium and crack. Set hissed at the pain and retreated.

Even with his attack, he was still trapped in the storm. It began to grow and he had to pull more of his power into him, making sure his mortal host wouldn't be injured. _I can see when I am at a disadvantage_, said a voice. A flare of anger burned his heart. His enemy was trying to slip away. He wanted to break free and tear Set apart before he had the chance to weasel his way out. It wasn't an option, though. It would surely destroy the body he used, which would be what Set wanted… what Set wanted…

_Until we meet again, my dear, dear son._ The storm instantly dissolved. He was inside a hole, marking the one place the sand storm had been concentrated. He knew there was no point looking for Set. He was already gone; he could sense that much. Now that he had no one to focus his anger on, a plethora of emotions raged in his, or was it her, heart. There were so many hitting him at once, he didn't know how to handle them. He stumbled up the hill, slipping in the sand as he used the scepter as a cane to pull him up.

He saw himself lying at his feet. He saw himself covered in red, and could only think of how his mother had been wearing a red dress the day he lost his heart.

Then I was alone; a shaking teenager with a bloody shoulder, leaning on some magical scepter with a dying boy lying at my feet. I wretched, dropping the scepter in my hand but nothing came up. My mind was at a loss, not really understanding what had happened, if I was me or someone else or everyone at once. I fell to my knees.

I couldn't focus on my own disorientation, though. Anubis was lifeless in front of me, his abdomen completely missing and spilling blood. Under the flow of blood was his exposed spine and ribs, damaged but still holding together. It didn't strike me odd that his bones were shining the color of precious gold. I knew it was a common trait of gods only because he had thought that during his fight with Set. But now that presence was gone. I was alone and unless I did something, Anubis was surely going to die.

* * *

_Author's notes in my profile ^^_


	17. My Body Becomes a Decomposing Timelapse

_**Chapter 17: My Body Becomes a Decomposing Timelapse**_

It didn't take long to realize there was something different with me. I had once tried to carry Anubis and I could barely hold his heavy weight. It was hardly surprising looking back on it now. His bones were made of gold. Of course he would be extremely heavy. Yet at this moment, halfway through the underground tunnel that led to the temple, I felt no strain carrying him on my back. In fact, I felt like I was carrying the weight of a small child than an immortal goldmine.

Well, almost immortal. Someone with his injury shouldn't survive. My back was soaked from all the blood that poured from the gaping hole through his stomach. Yet he still breathed, though his breath was becoming more irregular as I walked. A god can survive physical trauma humans could not, but they could still die. So where was the line? I had no idea. I moved as fast as my body would go terrified of finding out the answer.

It was my shoulder that made the journey difficult. The beast of Set had sunk his teeth deeply into it. Anubis' blood was all over me hiding my own bleeding, but there was no doubt my own wound was contributing its own stains. As light as Anubis felt, keeping my arm back to hold his leg sent sharp stabs that intensified each time my foot landed to the ground. I was unable to hold back gasps from the sudden spikes of pain the wound sent through my arm and chest, but I wouldn't allow myself to stop. I couldn't leave Anubis here to die.

A light from an opening in the ceiling was visible. I stumbled toward the exit, but a horrible realization struck me. I had no idea how to get up there. It wasn't particularly high, but there was no ladder up. And even if there were, I couldn't climb up it with Anubis on my back and with an injured shoulder.

"Heeeeey! Someone! Heeeelp!" I shouted as loud as I could, but no one came. There had been no one in the temple when we came, so there was little chance anyone could hear us. We still had an ally on the other side, though.

"Dog whistle… where is it?" I had to lay Anubis gently on the ground. I searched his pockets and found what I was looking for in an inside pocket of his jacket. I filled my lungs and blew hard on the whistle. No sound came from it, but it made Anubis groan. I almost laughed to see some life stirred into him.

The wait in that silent tunnel felt like it dragged on for hours. I felt as though I had a clock ticking in my ear keeping me constantly aware that every moment counted. Then I heard a patter on the floor above me. In the hole, a furry head popped into view and gave a whimper.

"Paws! It's okay! Can you get a rope or something to pull us out with?"

Paws barked and trotted off. I waited with the ticking again until a bright orange rope fell into the hole, its other end somewhere above out of sight. At first I wasn't sure what to do with it, but I decided to tie Anubis first and make sure he was the most secure. Then I tied it around my own waist. I picked Anubis up, him still feeling like the weight of a pillow. "Alright Paws! Pull us up!"

I heard his feet scamper off. I couldn't figure out where he had gone or why it was taking so long. I started to think something happened to him when the rope tightened and started lifting us up. It was extremely uncomfortable. The rope slid up to my bust and put pressure on my injury. There was a slight sway as we ascended. I made sure to take the brunt of the bumps into the wall instead of Anubis. We came out of the opening, the corner scraping into my back as the rope pulled me up. We came to a stop and I began hastily stripping us of our rope.

Paws was nowhere in sight. The rope for some reason continued on outside a window so I picked Anubis up and followed it. At the window I could see the rope was tied onboard the boat. He had used the boat to pull the rope instead of trying to himself. "Smart dog…" I muttered. I wasted no time and jumped out the window into the boat directly below me. I landed and fell to my knees but was otherwise okay. I went straight to the helm where Paws was waiting.

I laid Anubis down. Paws was beside himself, giving cries that were half barks and whimpers. Anubis was extremely pale with sweat glistening on his forehead. His breathing was sporadic and effortful. My mind was going blank from panic. My knowledge of first aid was very basic, yet a very experienced doctor probably wouldn't know what to do, not when he had entire organs that were missing.

"I don't know what to do," I whispered, tears falling down my cheeks as I did. I clutched my chest. I began to rock forward as sobs erupted from my chest. "I don't know what to do! Anubis is going to die and I don't know what to do!"

Something grew burning hot on my chest. I yelped in surprise. As I did, a memory came to the surface.

_If you ever need me, go to the closest library and ask for Seshat. She can always get in contact with me._

"The notecard…" I ran out the helm and headed straight for my bedroom. I rummaged through my bedside table for the notecard I received eons ago from Thoth the day I began this journey. I also grabbed my tablet and a handful of clothes off the floor.

I ran back to the helm, flipping through my tablet as I did. As soon as I was inside I ordered, "Paws, I need you to head straight to these coordinates." I read off the numbers that had more meaning to him than me. He didn't delay in turning us around. "We need to get there fast!" I began to pull my blood soaked clothes off as we headed for the closest library in Tibet.

* * *

To be honest, it looked more like a bookstore than a library. It was small and crammed between two other stores that had much more customers than this place. The outside was beautiful with colored tiles that made a patterned motif around the building, the exposed wood painted in bright primary colors. But I wasn't there to admire the sights. I threw myself at the red door.

The inside was also like a bookstore, and there didn't seem like a lot of selection. I walked past each shelf, half tempted to go crazy and start tearing the place apart. I didn't think Thoth would appreciate me following after Horus' example. But if it would save Anubis…

"Can I help you?" the woman at the counter asked politely, but looking a bit uneasy dealing with a foreigner.

I was uncertain but asked anyway, "I need to speak with Seshat."

The woman was mildly surprised but kindly responded, "Yes, certainly. Her office is the back door here." She walked out behind the counter and led me to an office door with a plague in some other language. I bowed to thank her and she left. I took a breath and opened the door.

It was like being transported back to Thoth's office. The place was a wreck just like his. Books stacked on books stacked on books making it seem like an impossible task to find anything in that clutter. The ceiling rose high above out of sight with continuous bookcases lining every inch of the walls. In the center was a desk perched between two palm trees that wildly contrasted with the rest of the room.

At the desk was a woman that had the librarian look down pat. She had long black hair tied back in a tight bun. She wore rectangular glasses with old fashioned beads that hung from them. Her suit had a cheetah print that fit very snuggly on her. She was writing at an incredible speed and didn't seem to notice my entrance. I swiftly strode up to her desk.

"Excuse me, I need your– "

She interrupted me with a long sigh. Stopping whatever it was she was writing, she dug into a drawer and fetched another roll of paper. She began rapidly writing on that saying, "I'm going to be behind schedule. The chancellor specifically asked for the document at five o'clock this evening. No sooner, no later. If I can increase the writing speed to 143 words a minute then perhaps I can…"

"Excuse me, I'm sorry, but I really need your help."

She didn't respond but continued muttering about word counts and deadlines. I knew I couldn't be here forever so I skipped formalities and moved on. "I need to talk with Thoth right now. He said you could get in contact with him."

"I am always in contact with him," she said without lifting her eyes from her writing. Her pen moved between writing on two documents, never stopping their pace. "Talking with me is as good as talking with him. So tell me what it is you want."

I could hardly understand what she meant, but this wasn't a time to talk about how strange the gods were. That would take weeks. "Anubis is dying and he needs medical attention, or magic or something. Please! I don't know what I can do!"

She didn't bat an eye. I was becoming more disturbed by how emotionless she seemed. Even her "panic" over missing her deadline was muttered in a detached way like she was only saying it out of formality. She continued to ceaselessly write while pulling out yet another slip of paper with her other hand. She quickly wrote on that and in seconds was thrusting it at me.

"Go to 'Shanghai United Family Hospital'. You can find Imhotep there. Be sure to ask for Dr. Ankh."

"But Shanghai is directly east of here. We can't travel in that direction. Is there someone else we can go to? Why can't I talk to Thoth?"

She abruptly stopped her pen. A cold sweat ran down my back as she locked eyes with me. Her expression was empty. For some reason as I looked at her I wondered if she was really there or not. "I am Thoth's other and I am telling you everything he wants you to know. Gods are always making enemies of each other and we can't always find ways to avoid one another. You will travel east and confront the wrath Anubis has invoked or he will die."

She looked down at her papers and quickly started writing once more. "Now it will have to be 151 words a minute. That will give me 508…" She continued her personal rant, but I didn't stick around. I was so shaken that I left the room immediately putting as much distance from her as I could.

* * *

"Oh no…"

Anubis was worse. His body was twitching. Every muscle in his body looked to be having small spasms from his face to his feet. His breathing had grown softer but it continued to come at random bursts. Paws was already turning us east to the hospital, though he seemed really reluctant to go this way. I stared at the gaping hole in Anubis' abdomen as I thought of the stinger that had pierced him.

"Poison…" The ticking grew louder as our time seemed to be running out. I called to Paws, "You have to get this thing going as fast as it can go!"

I let Paws do his thing. I sat next to Anubis and held his hand, his fingers dancing wildly in my grasp. I squeezed my eyes shut as I worried over what sort of trial we were facing.

Normally I could never feel the boat moving. However, this time it felt like we were on a rollercoaster. The pressure of the speed could be felt even in the helm. I held myself steady having a bad case of vertigo.

Then the feeling hit me right in the gut. My stomach felt like it had been rung dry. I dropped Anubis' hand and clutched at my stomach. I felt like I hadn't eaten in weeks. The pain was not only an intense hunger, but my muscles ached and shook like their energy had been completely depleted. My mouth was dry. I wanted nothing but to eat anything I could find.

Somehow I knew eating wouldn't do any good. It was the wrath Seshat mentioned, from that god Do-A-Motif or whatever his name was. He was attacking our stomachs, punishing us for traveling in his direction. Paws whimpered as he gnawed at the steering wheel. Anubis didn't show any reaction at all, completely oblivious to the world around him.

The trip to Shanghai was short, but felt grueling long. I laid on the ground, curled into myself with my only thoughts on my aching stomach and Anubis. I was beginning to believe we weren't going to get there in time when I felt the pressure of our speed lift. The feeling of emptiness disappeared as well, and I felt fuller than I ever had. Still shaking, I tried to pick Anubis up. It was difficult. His whole body was constantly moving and I never felt I had a firm grasp of him. I threw his arm around my shoulder and had to drag him with me, knowing this was the only way I could move him without dropping him.

Paws stayed behind watching with wide eyes as I jumped out of the boat with Anubis. The hospital wasn't magnificent at all. It looked to be two, maybe three stories. The exterior was white with blue trimming around it. I walked with Anubis through the parking lot to the entrance doors.

It was obvious the sight of us was the last thing the nurses there were expecting to see. They wasted no time in acting. Before I knew it, one nurse was putting him in a stretcher and hooking him up to IVs and other machines, while others were taking pulses and shouting numbers that meant nothing to me. All through it I was trying to get them to listen to me. "He needs Dr. Ankh!" I repeated. "Is Dr. Ankh here? Please!"

They took Anubis away. I tried to follow them but a nurse stopped me. "It is okay, ma'am. We will take care of him."

"No! He needs Dr. Ankh! Where is he?"

"I'm sorry, but Dr. Ankh is in surgery. There's nothing to worry about. Another doctor will be there to take care of him. Come in here. It will be alright."

"No…" She started guiding me to another room, but I swatted her hand away. "You're not listening to me! It has to be Dr. Ankh! If he doesn't help him, he'll die!"

"Ma'am…" I ignored her and pushed around her to where they had taken Anubis, desperate to find someone who would listen to me. I didn't make it far when two men grabbed me from behind. They started to move me away, and I fought with all the strength my body had left in it, not caring about what it did to my injuries. "No! You can't do this! He's going to die! Please!"

"What is going on?" a male voice came from the hall.

"Oh, Dr. Ankh," a nurse replied.

I craned my neck to see him. My first thought was that he wasn't a god. He looked ordinary, like any other doctor I may have had. His skin was a deep color and he looked almost like he was from India. But he didn't have indescribable look the other gods had that set them apart from others.

"Please!" I shouted. "Anubis is dying! Please save him!"

The man looked startled for a second, but quickly spun around and ran down the hall. I stopped resisting as the security guards dragged me across the lobby. I started to feel hot. Even the trail of blood running down my arm felt cold to my skin.

A nurse shouted, "Wait! That woman is injured!" Her voiced started to sound far away. I had a feeling like I had stood up too fast, but the fuzziness of the sensation intensified. I couldn't feel my legs under me anymore, and I let the heat burn me away.

* * *

I woke in a flower field. Endlessly in whatever direction I looked were white flowers peeping out of the lush grass. The air was aromatic. There was a taste in the wind like the coming of rain, but the sky was a perfect blue with speckles of white clouds here and there.

A breeze swept across the field making the tall grass dance. The petals escaped their stems and began to spin in a cloud. Together they formed the figure of a person, much like the feathers of Ma'at had. I stood and faced the new figure before me. She lifted an arm. A finger pointed to a point in the distance behind my back.

I turned to see something odd. The flowers in the far distance were changing. They looked to be rotting on the spot. The circle of dying flowers was growing like a puddle under a dripping faucet. I walked toward the imperfection in my field. As I came closer, the field started dying around me. It crunched under my bare feet as I came to the destruction's center.

At its center was a corpse. By its leathery and coal black skin I could tell it must have been rotting for a long time. Its nose had long ago decomposed. Its eyes were closed and mouth was slightly open. The skin pulled tightly on its skeleton revealing every tendon and bone underneath. Holes in the skin were made by the bugs that crawled over its body. The exposed bone glistened a bright gold under the sunshine. The sweet aroma was gone. My nose was filled with the pungent smell of spoiling meat.

But the corpse didn't repulse me. Instead, I was drawn to it. In the remnants of small strands of hair that still clung to the scalp and the shape of the skin that stretched over the skull, I could recognize the soul that had belonged to the body. I was fearful for him. I crouched beside him and shook his shoulders. The corpse creaked in odd ways as bones rubbed against bones.

"Anubis?!" I said in a whisper, tears just forming in my eyes. He did nothing, said nothing, for all he was was a corpse. No amount of shaking or crying out to him would bring him back to life.

And then the sun sank so quickly that in less than a minute day had become night. Clouds filled the sky that hid the stars and moon. The only light came from the flowers that began to glow in the night. The lights distracted me. I hadn't noticed that I couldn't remove my grip from Anubis' shoulders or that my flesh was beginning to rot. When I did notice, my skin had already deteriorated up to my elbows and was spreading up my arms. I struggled to let go, the muscles that had once been in my hands brittle and unresponsive. I tried to pull away, but I was quickly losing strength.

"Anubis, help!..." I cried helplessly to a corpse. It was to my chest now, and I could feel my lungs turning to rigged paper bags. My heart began slowing, the muscle becoming too weak to deal with the strain of keeping me alive. I could no longer feel my legs beneath me. They were only twigs attached to the rest of my rotting corpse. The skin at my neck began to ripple away as my face was the last to decay. I looked at the corpse lying below me one last time sure that I had failed us both.

Then the darkness dissipated, like someone had turned on a switch in the sky. The moon sprung up from behind a cloud. It shined brightly with a radiant ring of light encasing it in the sky. The flowers glowed with the brilliance of the moon. The stain of death that had spilled on my flower field began to shrink. The flowers regained their color and blossomed with the same light as their neighbors. Soon there was not a single imperfection within the field. Like the flowers, I too regained my colors. My skin regained its softness and my heart and lungs fought with renewed strength. Everything came back to life but the corpse below me.

Yet even though his skin was still dry and discolored, the chest was rising and falling. You could hear the air moving in his windpipe like it had holes where the air was escaping. My hands still on his shoulders, I lifted him up and rested his head in my arm. His eyelids fluttered. The whites of his eyes were yellow and brown, but the color of his iris was still the copper brown I remembered it to be. He focused his gaze on me, then his eyes widened.

"I can't stay here," he said in a hushed voice.

His body crumbled into black sand and he was gone.

* * *

This time I woke in a bed with the smell of sterilization in my nose. The ceiling was white. The sheets were white. The curtain drawn around my bed was white. The room was semi-dark, as though even with the lights off the whiteness of the room wouldn't allow the room to be doused in darkness.

There was an IV by me dripping clear liquids into my arm. I sat up and gently removed the needle from me. I was in a hospital gown, but I could see my shirt folded and cleaned sitting on a counter by me. No one was around, and I didn't care much if they were. I didn't belong in this room and no one was going to keep me here.

After ridding myself of the hospital clothes, I stepped out of my room. The lights were dimmed, but I could hear nurses moving about in the distance. I didn't need the nurses. I knew where I was going.

Somehow I hadn't noticed Anubis had been with me still until he was gone. There was no other way I could have carried him here. Not a weak human like me. I woke up feeling like a half of myself was gone. I felt lonely being myself. But I could feel my other half was still here. He was in a room on the other side of the hospital, but it wasn't that far.

My heart gave a jolt when I reached the room and saw on the sign next to the door the name 'Andrew Darnell'. He just kept creeping up on me when I least expected it. I took a breath and opened the door.

The room was much larger than the one I had woken up in. There were some chairs and a sofa like a family could get together here. There was a curtain pulled around the bed but I could still see his head resting on a pillow. Anubis wasn't a corpse; in fact he looked rather healthy. He was in a deep sleep breathing in slow intervals.

A man came out from the curtain and looked at me in surprise. It was Dr. Ankh, or Imhotep I guess was his real name. Once again I was struck with how ordinary he looked, and it was even more apparent with Anubis in the same room. His eyes widened in recognition.

"You shouldn't have left your room," he reprimanded but, counteracting his statement, he pulled a cushioned chair over and signaled for me to sit. I almost sat down but a familiar scent reached my nose. I ignored his offer and made my way to pull the curtain. The doctor called out, "Young lady, you shouldn't look. I was changing his dressings before you came in and – "

The rings screeched across the metal bar as I pulled open the curtain. The sheets had been pulled down to his hips keeping his chest completely exposed. His abdomen didn't have a penetrating hole anymore from the scorpion Uhat. Instead, the hole had been filled with rotting skin. The stench of it had hit me like a wave when I pulled the curtain back. The leathery flesh melded into the surrounding healthy skin as though he were rotting from the inside out.

"He almost died," I stated numbly.

"He nearly did, yes, but the decayed flesh is a sign that his body is healing. It is how Anpu is." Imhotep put an arm around my shoulders and steered me into the seat he had pulled out. Imhotep inspected my injured shoulder. I felt emotionally detached from everything. He asked me to take off my shirt and I didn't feel the slightest bit embarrassed like I may have a lifetime ago. He took off the bandages covering my wound. The tears in my skin had been cleaned and stitched up like a rip in a rag doll.

"The work of Set I presume," Imhotep remarked. I nodded, glancing at Anubis as I did. He continued to rest soundly.

Imhotep began fiddling around with his equipment saying as he did, "I can have those wounds healed for you in a moment. Let me finish dressing up Anubis' injuries and I'll put a spell on that."

I looked at my shoulder. It was swollen, the skin peppered with many colors; imperfect and grotesque. "That's alright. I would rather if you didn't heal it with magic."

He paused at was he was doing and asserted, "It will leave scars."

I smiled. "Yeah, it will."

Imhotep nodded and said, "I'll bandage you first so you won't get an infection. "

"But Anubis – "

"He's more resilient than you, don't you worry." He pulled over a chair next to me and began wrapping up my shoulder. It reminded me of Anubis doing the same for my foot not so long ago. Imhotep didn't have the sort of perfection in movements as Anubis had, but he still did his job well. I looked into his face as he stared in concentration as he worked.

"Are you really a god?" I asked.

A smile tugged at his cheek. "I don't have the family resemblance, do I?" He glanced up at me for a second before continuing. "I was once human, too. And like you, I had chanced to know Anpu in my mortal life."

He snipped the bandage and stood up. I pulled my shirt back on, but otherwise looked at Imhotep with fascination. I suppose I hadn't thought of it, there being humans who later became gods. Like he had said, I was used to the gods being somehow related to each other like one family. He began to work on wrapping Anubis' wound but he continued to speak during his work.

"It was one of my youngest sisters. She had always been fragile and I was the only one that knew how to care for her. But it was not to be. I didn't want to believe she was dead. My magic was unique. It was rooted in science, before people understood what science was. I believed I could bring her back, just as Is– "

He abruptly stopped in his story, and then covered his mistake with a smile. "Well, I was quite surprised when a god came into my home. When I saw the god of death, I knew he marked my failure. But Anpu was livid with me. I hadn't given her a proper burial. He accused me of suffocating my sister's soul in a rotting shell."

He looked at me a moment and sheepishly said, "Sorry, I guess I got carried away from old memories. It's not the most uplifting of stories."

"I don't mind. I haven't heard many stories about Anubis' past. So, is that why you became a god? For your sister?"

The doctor chuckled, "Not quite for that reason. I did come to realize the dead should have their second life in the _duat_." I furrowed my brow. That wasn't what I had meant by my question. I was thinking along the lines that he would have become a god to continue to see his sister in the _duat_. But he continued to explain, "I had many reasons. I had served under the pharaoh and wished to continue to serve him. I wished to develop medicine further so less lives would be lost from disease. I wanted to be an idol so that others would follow the same path I had in my life."

He pulled Anubis' covers over his now bandaged chest. He pulled off his gloves saying, "Would you like anything to eat or drink, Nakia?"

"How do you know my name?" My groggy mind thought, '_Seriously, how is it every time a meet a god they already know my name? It's getting irritating.'_

"Anpu was conscious for a moment before," he responded. "He asked for you first." I didn't know what to say to that, so I stared at the ground without a response.

"My question still stands?"

"No, I'm not very hun–"

Outside the room a thunderous bang cracked through the air and stopped me in mid-sentence. We both rounded at the sudden commotion that sounded from the hall. I heard Imhotep mutter, "Pharoah," under his breath before leaving the room. I heard some nurses scolding, "Sir, you can only visit during visiting hours!" I became curious and, seeing as Anubis would be fine for the time being, a poked my head out to see what was going on.

The nurses were surrounding a frantic looking Horus the Child trying to coerce him to leave. Instead he was forcing his way through despite them. Imhotep approached him saying, "Pharoah, you shouldn't act so rashly. I would come to get you if you–"

"Where is he?! Where's my brother?"

"He's in there," said a small voice. I hadn't noticed the short woman trailing beside Horus, but once I did it was hard for me to take my eyes off her. She had a dark complexion with short but very thick, black hair that's waves framed her small head. She was wearing tightfitting black pants with white roses painted on them. Her shirt was a loose fitting tank made of a shiny gold material that matched her large hoop earrings. Despite how flashy her cloths were, the most startling feature of hers was her eyes. They were the same color as both of the Horus's I've met; her left eye was silver while her right was golden yellow. Our gazes locked together and I knew she was the eye of a god. Considering her eye colors, I could give a good guess whose eye she was.

Without a moment's hesitation, Horus went right past me to Anubis without even acknowledging me. He sat next to Anubis' bed. Horus took his hand into his own and pressed his lips to Anubis' palm with his eyes squeezed shut. He stayed like that for a long time while Imhotep cleared the confusion in the hall. I stepped out of the room to let the brothers have their privacy. The sight of me caused the nurses to startle. They wanted to take me back to my room, but Imhotep convinced them to leave me be. Things finally settled down and the staff went back to their other duties.

"You have a lot of influence." I stated plainly.

"Humans are easy to placate. It's when gods get involved that this place gets hectic."

"…sorry."

At my soft apology, Imhotep grabbed my shoulder with a stern face. With a sharp voice he said, "Don't say what you don't mean. Are you sorry you saved Anpu's life by bringing him here?"

"N-no…" I looked away from him feeling ashamed.

"Then don't ever say that again. You haven't burdened any of us. You have helped us more than you know."

I nodded, but I still held some doubt I didn't voice. Maybe it looked to them like I brought Anubis here, but I knew that Anubis had used me to save himself. I didn't deserve to hear his words when I let Anubis get hurt in the first place.

Just then Horus came sauntering out leaning on the doorframe as he left Anubis' room. His expression was so downcast and helpless that it was heartbreaking. He looked at us all gathered in the hall. He opened his mouth to say something, but choked up unable to say what he wanted to. Instead, he locked me in his sights and approached me.

In an unexpected move, he put his arms around me and held me in a tight hug. I jerked from his action, not from my wound being squeezed but from the shock. I didn't know what to do with my hands; if I should comfort him or keep them at my side. They stayed up in the air around him while my mind panicked at what to do.

"Thank you…" Horus whispered in a croaky voice. I nodded in his shoulder through the conflicting emotions. He finally released me, his face whipped completely clean of the torment it held before. He addressed Imhotep asking, "Do you have a room for her?"

"I had the nurses change her to an out-patient. She is free to leave for the night."

"I want to stay here!" I protested.

Imhotep replied, "Nakia, it is late and you could use more rest to heal. It would be better to get a room somewhere else for the night. You can return in the morning."

Horus shakily nodded and went to the young woman who had been leaning against the wall and watching us through the whole conversation. "Take care of her for me, will you?"

"Of course," she responded.

Her heels clicked on the floor as she came over. Without a moments delay she had her hand to my back directing me away. I turned my head to see Horus talking with Imhotep before we turned a corner cutting them out of sight.

"Wadjet," the goddess beside me said. Despite her being a couple inches shorter than me, she held a grandeur that made me feel much smaller than her.

After a moment to grasp her introduction, I also shortly replied, "Nakia."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Nakia… you have, pretty eyes." When we stood waiting for an elevator, she took a lock of my hair and inspected it before frowning. "So many split ends. When have you last cut your hair?"

"Um…" I mumbled not recalling when I had last gone to a salon. I could only guess it was sometime when I was still a high school student.

She shook her head in disapproval. "I'll have to fix that. Your wardrobe could use an update. A young girl shouldn't wear cargo pants like some sort of soldier. Your complexion is a bit too pale, as well." An elevator door opened, and she strode in before giving a wide smile, the brightness of her teeth shining almost as brightly as her contrasting colored eyes. "Don't worry. By tomorrow you'll be like a completely new person."

I gulped, and wondered if it was too late to run away.

* * *

_**Visit my profile for Author's Notes**_


	18. The Reality Behind Legends

_**Chapter 18: The Reality Behind Legends**_

Hospitals were something I was familiar with from having Sophie as my aunt. There was no way for me to remember how many times I had gone to the hospital for whatever accident she had that couldn't be fixed with a first aid kit. It was depressing; seeing all the people who were sick and family members walking around with gaunt faces. But one thing I always enjoyed about the hospital was seeing family I don't see that often. It was always a time of exchanging stories about the past and laughing off the troubles of the present.

I thought about those days when I walked into the hospital with Paws and Wadjet. I had been subjected to Wadjet's beautification that morning. My hair was curled into bouncing locks. She must have bought me clothes in the city while I slept because she had them lying on my bed when I woke up. The top I liked; a silk green blouse that was very oriental looking. However, the pants she got me were a black leather I normally wouldn't be caught dead in if I didn't have Wadjet giving me a glare that said I would be dead if I didn't put it on.

I was uncomfortable with people looking at us (though ignoring Paws, lucky dog) as we headed upstairs to Anubis' room. I, at least, had some imperfections in my appearance I was grasping to. One was my bandaged shoulder. Wadjet had nearly put a healing spell on it before I realized what she was doing. "Why stay injured when you can be healed in two seconds?" she scolded in exasperation. I could tell she was disgusted by it, but I didn't know how to tell her how much I needed it.

Then there was the medical mask I had over my mouth. When first walking outside I had thought it was a foggy day. However, the fog was actually smog, and it wasn't long before I was coughing as I desperately gasped for clean air that wasn't there. My voice sounded different to me. I wondered what kind of filter the hospital had to clean out the air in the building. The clean, though stale, air was refreshing, but I didn't want to rid myself of my mask even if I could breathe.

We found Imhotep standing in the hall when we arrived. He appeared discontent as he stopped us in our tracks.

"I'm sorry. You'll have to wait. I'm not allowing visitors." He locked eyes with Wadjet saying, "I can't get the Pharoah to listen to me. Perhaps you could talk to him."

"Why?" I asked. "What's going on?"

"Anubis is awake," Imhotep replied.

Simultaneously as Imhotep said that, a body appeared to be blasted out of the room and crashed into the opposite wall with a tremendous force that no doubt caused some damage. Dark shadows seemed to seep out of the cracks of the room and carefully closed the door until it clicked shut. Everyone rushed over to the crumpled blond man slumped on the floor. Imhotep reached him first scolding, "This is why I told you no visitors."

Horus the Child chuckled. "You know, I've always said his bark is worse than his bite, but," he let out a groan as he stiffly stood up, "his bite still hurts a lot."

"You had it coming!" Came an angry voice from behind.

An entourage of gods and goddesses came to join us in the hall. In the lead was Thoth, looking surly as he stormed towards us. He was wearing his usual white lab coat but being out of his chaotic office and into the clean hospital made his attire look messier than I remembered. Following behind was Horus the Elder looking like he had just left the gym after lifting weights. Isis was beside him dressed in an outfit beautiful enough to be in Wadjet's taste.

Thoth towered over Little Horus and he looked like he would rather be anywhere but here. "I finally have you cornered!"

"I wouldn't say I'm cornered. This is a pretty long hallway - "

"227 books! It was 227 books and a whole isle of bookcases that you destroyed!"

"It wouldn't have been so bad if the bookcases weren't electric and hooked into the floor - "

"Not to mention the terrified mortals I had console!"

"They wouldn't have seen me using magic, so I'm sure what they thought they saw wasn't so bad - "

"Isreal, Horus!" Thoth bellowed. "You pulled your stunt in a library in Isreal! They all thought you were a terrorist! I can't say they were wrong!"

"I'm a king!" Horus shouted back, standing up from the cracked spot in the floor.

"Are you? Then it's about time you stop acting like a child and start living up to your father's name!"

Horus' pride finally crumbled and he looked away with shame written in his face. In a mutter he asked, "What do you want then? Money for the damages?"

"I don't want anything you can summon with magic. You are going to work off your debt."

"What?" Horus replied as though he had never heard the phrase before.

"You're going to work in one of my libraries helping with cataloging and whatever other work the mortals will think up for you. You won't be done until you've completed 5,000 hours of work, and I expect you to finish by the turn of the century."

"You want me to be a librarian?" Horus asked in exasperation. "I can't waste my time working in a library! I have to catch Set for what he's done to Anubis! I need to enter the American government so I can become President and rule again! Even Nakia's helping me!"

"Hey, don't drag me into this," I voiced up. "I like books."

"It won't be so bad, kiddo," said Horus the Elder. He came over and rested a hand on Horus the Child's shoulder. "Just lug some books around for a while and make Thoth happy. I'll handle Set for ya."

Little Horus shrugged off his hand saying, "I'm not a kid!" as he did so. Little Horus held so much resentment in his glare it was easy to tell he didn't like his uncle. It surprised me that with how much they were the same, from names to the funky two eye colors, that they would be so different in every other aspect.

"Enough!" It seemed that everyone, including me, had forgotten Imhotep was there. We all looked at him. He looked flustered over his shout and gave a deep bow before saying, "Excuse me, but I'm not allowing visitors as Anubis needs his rest. Could you please take your conversation into the waiting room?"

While Imhotep spoke, Paws snuck past him to Anubis' door. He pawed at the door with a soft whine. The handle turned without any visible force, and the door cracked open enough to let the dog in. By the time the door softly closed itself even Imhotep had turned around taking notice.

Little Horus smirked. "No visitors, huh?"

"No unwelcome visitors," Imhotep retorted while Horus crossed his arms still standing on the cracked tile.

The group began to disperse. Big Horus walked off with a muttering Thoth with Wadjet trotting behind him without a glance at Little Horus behind her. Isis walked up to Little Horus and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm glad you're doing well," she said to him.

Little Horus grumpily mumbled something I couldn't understand. I spark of anger at Horus' disregard lit in my heart but I didn't let it show. Isis smiled at me and left to join the other gods. Little Horus turned to me and asked, "Have you eaten?"

"No."

"Good. Let's get out of here." He grabbed my hand and practically dragged me to the elevator. "You're hair looks nice," he said at the elevator door. I scowled. He didn't mention my appearance again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

China's breakfast is nothing like America's breakfast. If they have a staple breakfast food, I didn't find it. It all looked like food you would eat for lunch or dinner to me. While Horus was fine eating noodles in a hot broth, I could only settle with eating bread. They were very soft and slightly sweet.

Horus didn't speak, instead jabbing chopsticks into his bowl and loudly slurping his noodles. I was in my own lapse of silence. I couldn't stop from revisiting the fight against Set. It terrified me, both being caught into a trap with that god and nearly losing Anubis. But what disturbed me the most was, in the moments I was sure I was going to die, I would think of my parents in that paradise within the _duat_ and would hope for death. Since then, I've told myself I don't want to die. I believe that. So why had I invited death when it was so close to me if I believed I wanted to live?

I was jolted out of my internal thoughts by Horus slamming on the table making some of the broth splash from his bowl. People looked at him and there was a moment of silence before they continued their conversations. After so much silence, Horus bursted into a rant.

"How could Thoth do that?! I'm not some sort of slave who has to do whatever he tells me! He has no idea the responsibilities I carry on my shoulders! I am the king of humanity yet I haven't had a position of power since the great wars! It used to be that being born into the family line got you into power, but now humanity has complicated things with voting and electing leaders! The last two countries I tried to rule didn't vote for me because they thought I was 'too much of a dictator'! I told them, 'I'm not a dictator. I'm a king,' and they all blew up like I wanted to destroy their countries!

"On top of taking care of humanity, I also have the personal responsibility of keeping Set in his place! He's gotten himself out of control! He nearly killed his wife's son, _my brother_, and like hell I'm going to let my stupid uncle go after him without me! If I can't bring a stop to Set, the balance of chaos and order will become unstable which could threaten the existence of humanity! How then am I supposed to rule as a president if humanity is dead?! But, no! All Thoth cares about is his stupid books!"

"Yeah, he has some really messed up priorities…"

"Exactly!" Horus 'hmphed' and drank out of his bowl like it was a cup. After Horus' temper tantrum I wasn't sure whether to laugh or be disturbed.

"Why did you blow up those books anyway?"

Horus took an extra moment to finish drinking from the bowl before answering. "Well, mostly I wanted to see what he would do, but I guess I'm still a bit bitter that he wouldn't get rid of those statues like I asked."

"What statues?"

"They're in one of the museums he funds. I told him they're terrible and their existence should be erased. He said he wouldn't do such a thing!"

"So you blew up his books instead of the statues?"

Horus was taken by surprise. "Ra Above," he muttered, "why didn't I think of that?"

"So what was so horrible about those statues that you wanted them destroyed?"

"They're monuments to Aten?"

"And that's bad?"

"Of course! You weren't there. You don't know how bad it was for us when a human banned our worship. The guy even used his made up god, Aten, to get Egypt to worship him."

"So Aten isn't a real god?"

"Not at all. Humans will make up their own gods sometimes, like we're not standing right in front of them. Aten is about as real as Amun."

My head started to feel fuzzy, like a storm had formed inside it. "I thought Amun was a god?" I asked, hearing how different my tone had turned but unable to control it.

If Horus noticed, he didn't show it. He was playing with one of his chopsticks earning him sharp looks from several people. "Nope, just another figment of human's imaginations. I never could make Amun's followers go away. But you know," Horus pointed his chopstick at me with a large smile. The people staring at him looked even more offended. "I was smart when handling that problem. His following was becoming too large in Upper Egypt. The followers of Ra in Lower Egypt were growing unruly over Amun's growing popularity. It threatened a second civil war. So I played the human's game. I made up the god Amun-Ra to bring the two sects together. Worked like a charm."

"You combined two gods together? Not exactly creative."

"Yeah, but at least Ra got half the credit. He wanted his name to be first, but how weird does Ramun sound?"

Horus sighed, resting back in his chair and looked out the window. I was feeling a strange twinge holding my heart. Horus was wrong. Maybe all the gods were wrong. I've seen how Anubis can't see Amun like I can, but it looks like all the gods are ignorant to his existence. Should I tell him? Even if I did, I felt like it wouldn't do anything. Amun had half of Egypt worshipping him and the god's still believed he was a made-up god. What would my word mean compared to that?

"I tried to wipe his existence off the Earth…" Horus said softly.

"Who?"

"Akhenaten and his fake god Aten," he answered. "I took the throne back from him and had his name wiped from all the records, destroyed any image of him, tore down the temples to Aten he built… I wasn't diligent enough."

Horus eyes were distant looking out the window like he could see Egypt outside of it. "A lot of our temples were affected during that time. Most were repurposed into temples, but some were simply dismantled.

"I remember when Anubis had a temple to him taken apart. At that point, many of the gods were outraged over the destruction that was taking place, but Anubis always stayed out of it. I found him sitting at the steps of his temple with only the foundation remaining. I thought he would finally be angry enough to help with forcing Akhenaten off the throne. I told him, 'If you help me reclaim the throne, I can get your temple back.' He smiled at me and said, 'I don't serve mortals so that they'll worship me.' He left his temple behind and never did get involved."

Horus leaned forward looking at his empty bowl. "I wish I had asked him why back then. It always puzzled me. By the time I did, it was too late."

"How was it too late?" I asked.

Horus shook his head. "It was probably a decade before Anubis lost his heart that I thought of asking him. He was in a bad mood that day. He kept asking things like, why do we keep doing these things? Why do I keep serving as a king to humans? Why does Ra continue sailing between the Earth and _duat_? Crazy questions like that.

"I reminded him of what he said that day. I finally asked him, 'Why do you continue collecting their dead if you don't want them to revere you?' He said, 'If I had a reason, I have long forgotten it.'"

Horus chuckled. "Sorry, I got a bit nostalgic there. Let's go back. Maybe Anubis won't hurl me out of the room this time."

I followed him out. I could relate to Horus. I wanted to know what kind of god Anubis was before he lost his heart, but we both were unable to understand him. It seems there was a time that even Anubis didn't understand himself. I did have half a mind to ask, "Why did Anubis throw you out the first time?"

He smirked and replied, "I haven't the faintest clue. All I did was bare my soul on how much he had frightened me and how happy I was he didn't die. All he said was, 'I had forgotten how annoying you are,' and he threw me out.

"Just like old times."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There was a whole wing dedicated to Anubis' visitors. Poor Imhotep had his hands full trying to keep the coming and going gods placated while also keeping to his human patients. He still wasn't allowing visitors.

"Anubis is pretty popular," I remarked to Horus.

Horus shrugged. "He's respected. I think half of the gods here wouldn't have come if dad wasn't losing his mind right now."

"He is?"

"Are you kidding? Dad hates being cooped up in the _duat_. I bet he's going to every god he can asking how Anubis is doing."

"I didn't think of that. I can't imagine what it was like for the person who broke the news to him?"

Horus furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about? You were the one who told him."

"What?"

Horus pointed to the center of my chest. "You told all of us. Scared the death out of me when you said he was dying."

I touched my chest feeling the indent of the amulets under my shirt. I remember how I had clutched at my chest when I didn't know what to do and felt my necklace grow burning hot. It wasn't until then I remembered the card Thoth gave me. Thoth must have heard me through the amulet. I didn't think that Horus and Osiris would also hear me through the amulets too.

Speaking of Thoth, Horus stopped where he stood when he saw Thoth at the end of the ward. Thoth was talking with Isis by a window. I could feel the waves of anger and contempt radiating off of Horus.

"Come on, Nakia. I'll introduce you to some gods."

He grabbed my arm to carry me into one of the side rooms but I pulled away. "I'll catch up with you in a second, Horus. Okay?"

He looked between me and glaring daggers at Thoth, but he eventually turned and stormed into the other room. I approached Thoth and Isis as they were carried away in their own conversation.

"…but then I found that directing magic to the atmosphere around the molecules worked better than electrical based magic. I have figure out how to create proper chemical reaction. I just need to find a method that mortals could replicate."

"Human technology has progressed far enough that it should be possible for them to create the same conditions."

"Yes, one of my apprentices is already coming up with his own idea. The only thing that bothers me is how much energy it wastes."

"Hello, Nakia," Isis inserted. Thoth turned and nodded to address me.

"Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt."

"Not at all," she said. "We were only making small talk. I'm so glad to see you're doing well, especially after all that's happened."

"Thanks," I replied, flustered. "I actually wanted to thank you, Thoth. I wouldn't have been able to help Anubis if you hadn't helped me."

"You never said you played a part, Thoth," Isis remarked.

"I had Seshat direct her here so I suppose I did."

"I wanted to ask you about that, actually. Seshat said she was your other, but I don't know what she meant by that."

Isis interjected explaining, "Many gods have others. A god can be powerful enough that we make a reflection onto the world that has a physical form. They are neither their own god nor are they duplicates of ourselves. They are something in between."

"What would that make them, then? Like shadows, or what was the name… _sheut_?"

"Shadows are very different from reflections," Thoth said. "A shadow is just one of our souls. A reflection is its own existence."

I rubbed at my head, not being able to wrap my head around it. I already struggled with viewing shadows as souls. It was something else to think of reflections being anything other than a reflection.

"It's okay if you don't understand. Us gods don't fully understand them as well. There are many with strained relationships with their others."

"Useful creatures, though. Anyway, we'll have to continue our talk on thermonuclear magic later. I need to get to Italy for a conference. Could you let me know when Imhotep will be allowing visitations?"

"Certainly," Isis replied.

"Then if you will excuse me, ladies." Thoth waved to us and left. It was just me and Isis standing by the window now. I wasn't sure what to say.

"Set always goes after my loved ones," Isis said while gazing out the window. "First Osiris, then my little Horus, and now Anubis."

"You must hate him," I said.

"No. I'm angry with him. I don't like what he does, but he is my brother and I will always love him."

"How can you love him? He killed your husband, didn't he?"

I realized too late how insensitive my statement was. But Isis only asked, "Do you have any siblings, Nakia?"

I shook my head.

"Maybe if you did you would understand. When you have a brother or sister, no matter how different they are from you and how much you can't get along, there will always be a part of your heart that will continue to love them. Maybe that's why it's always so much more painful when these things happen."

I never had any siblings, but what she described reminded me a bit of my aunt and uncle. It was hard adjusting to living with them and I remembered how angry I would get at them sometimes. I had said I hated them out of my anger, but that was never true, and it never would be. But I couldn't share the feelings she had for Set. She may love her brother, but all I saw in him was a chaotic monster.

"You know," Isis said, "Ever since arriving here I keep thinking about Anubis when he was a child. He was such a sweet boy, but too serious for such a young boy. I guess he's always been like that."

"Do you have any pictures?" I asked.

"There weren't any cameras five millennia ago, and the arts weren't developed enough for accurate portraits, either."

"Oh, yeah… I forget how old he is."

She smiled and looked out the window. There was silence as we drifted in our thoughts. I eventually gathered the courage to ask, "Could I ask you something that might be a bit personal?"

"I don't mind."

"You said you don't hate Set because he's your brother, so I'm guessing that you feel the same way about Nephthys since she's your sister. But were you mad at her when she had a child with you husband?"

Despite my expectations, Isis laughed and asked, "Who told you about that? It couldn't have been Anubis."

"No, Thoth told me about it."

"Oh, I wouldn't expect him to skip any details. I suppose he was being sensitive towards you." She crossed her arms in front of her, and smiled in a way that made me think of her son Horus. "Would you like to know a secret?"

"I guess…" I said.

Isis leaned her head by my ear and whispered, "It was my idea."

I was shocked, and pulled away to look at Isis. "No way. Why?"

She leaned on the window sill looking pleased with herself. It was very different from my impression of her. "She wanted her own child so badly. How could I not help her? Besides, she isn't clever enough by herself to pull it off, not to mention she would never think to do it if I hadn't pushed her into it."

"But what about Osiris?"

"What about him? As far as he knows it was Nephthys' plot. She happily took the blame and never mentioned how I was involved. Of course, some gods know better. Thoth saw right through it from the start but promised to keep out of it. I'm sure Anubis has found out as well, either from Nephthys or he figured it out himself, but he wouldn't tell anyone."

I couldn't say anything so I stayed quiet and looked out the window. There wasn't much to see. Only some buildings and the smog making it look foggy. I had pegged Isis as a sweet and loving person. She acted as much and always seemed so motherly to Horus and Anubis both. Her story changed all that. It wasn't so much she lied and used her husband, but that I was disturbed by apathy about it; like it didn't matter. As I thought about it, a dangerous question lingered at the tip of my tongue. I needed to know, but I didn't think it would be safe to ask Isis. I swallowed the question. I would find out another way.

"It all worked out," Isis reminisced. "In the end, Anubis came to be. It really was a great idea, don't you think?"

She looked at me so intensely she must have seen through me. She understood that I disapproved of what she did. It was like she was asking, 'Would you have done anything different had you known Anubis would never be born otherwise?' I couldn't answer that. I could only think to slyly remark, "You're lucky to have a sister like Nephthys."

"Yes, that's very true," she said. She looked down the hall, smiling.

"I can't imagine where we would be without her."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX

Little Horus was good on his word and introduced me to the gods that came to visit. I can honestly say I cannot remember a single one of their names. If they had names I was used to maybe that wouldn't be true, but I was overloaded with so many Egyptian names, they all started to blend together.

What did stay with me were the different impressions I had of them. I could tell which ones had the closest relationship with Anubis because they treated me as though I were an equal to them. There was one god (whose name reminded me of a type of bread, I recalled) who spent a lot of time making pleasant conversation and seemed to care about getting to know me. Apparently he was once a mentor of sorts to Anubis when Anubis was young and I felt ashamed I couldn't remember his name.

The rest of the gods didn't seem so pleased to make my acquaintance. There were some that didn't quite know what to take of me; a mortal who became the eye to a god. Others seemed offended by my existence and were quick to find a reason to break the conversation. And then there were the ones that saw me as insignificant as if Horus had found a nice potted plant he wanted to show them. I thought their impressions were probably the most accurate.

The whole time I was growing more and more irritated at Horus' boastful way of introducing me. Every time the first thing out of his mouth was, "This is Nakia, the Eye of Anubis". It made me feel self-conscious that he had to mention my connection to Anubis to everyone, especially since I still didn't understand what this connection was. Eventually, I pulled him aside and asked him to stop. He seemed a bit surprised but patiently explained, "What's wrong with that? It's your title, just like I've been telling you all the god's titles too." In an exaggerated voice, he proclaimed, "This is the god of thunder. Please meet the god of the sea. And this here is the goddess of music."

"Is there really a goddess of music?"

"Mhmm. Hathor's a patron of music, dance, the arts, and all that stuff."

"Cool."

"Not really. She's a bit schizophrenic. You don't want to meet her other personality. _Anyway_," Horus emphasized, "it's just a traditional part of observing each other's roles. You don't need to take it so seriously."

"Titles aren't really important," I said as I recalled Anubis telling me this when I first met him.

"Exactly!" Horus asserted.

Through the day, gods and goddesses continually came in and out. Imhotep was stern in holding his "no visitors" policy, and many gods were perturbed to come all the way here to only be turned away. It was near dusk that the stream of visitors began to trickle out. Horus explained that many gods would be assembling with Atum (god of the setting sun and another alter-ego of Ra, he informed me) on the Millennium boat to make the daily journey through the _duat_. Others would be catching up on work they put off today and Horus spitefully wished that Thoth had an extra mountain of paper work on his desk.

Eventually, Little Horus was coaxed by Big Horus and Wadjet into leaving as well, though he vehemently insisted he would be back before the break of dawn. I was left alone in the waiting room of the empty hospital wing. Even Paws was not with me as he never returned after slipping into Anubis' room. I did take the chance to board our lonely boat drifting in front of the hospital to change my clothes. I brushed the curls out of my hair and vigorously wiped away the makeup. I was glad Wadjet left with the two Horuses.

Returning to the empty waiting room lit with the artificial lights of night, I was plagued with horrible thoughts. I had spent my day in the company of many but through the whole day I felt terribly lonely. I wasn't one of them. When Bastet and Wadjet were in a corner talking together, I couldn't approach them. Being the eyes of a god should have given us something in common with them, but my humanity separated us. I didn't belong here, and I wondered what I was doing acting along with them when I would never be a part of this world.

I wasn't sure if I dozed off. I was laying on one of the couches staring at the floor. I felt like I had been looking at the tiled floor for a long time when a hand softly shook me. I looked up to see Imhotep standing over me.

"How is he?" I asked.

"He's sleeping now."

"I'll stay in our boat for the night, then."

"No, you can come to see him." I was a bit wary, but when Imhotep waited for me to get up, I decided I should go with him.

In his room, there was no longer a curtain drawn around his bed. Anubis lay in the bed with the covers drawn up. Paws was curled up at his feet. He perked up when we came in, but otherwise didn't leave his spot. I sat at the edge of the bed beside him and scratched behind his ears. "I missed you, buddy."

Paws rolled on his back with his tongue hanging out. As I rubbed his belly, Imhotep interrupted our love fest. "I've told the nurses you're allowed to be in here for the night. I've been here for most of the day so I'll have to leave. I can't have my staff wondering why I don't sleep."

"Are you leaving me in his care?"

"It is night now. He'll heal quickest in the moonlight. He should be fine. I would merely feel better if you were here with him along with the nurses."

"I can do that."

He smiled and nodded. "I've already pulled the couch out into a bed. If you need anything else, there is a button to page the nurses with."

"Alright."

"Take care of yourself, Nakia."

Imhotep turned to leave. Unbeknownst to him, when he opened the door someone slipped into the room. Completely unaware, he stepped out and the door clicked shut behind him.

"I knew you would come," I said to the figure.

"And how did you know that?" Amun asked.

"You warned me not to give Anubis his heart but I didn't listen. Now you're here to rub it in."

"I wouldn't say 'rub it in'. I would say it's more like a friendly reminder that heeding my warnings is usually a good idea."

"Consider your friendly reminder noted."

Amun took no hesitation to sit beside me at the foot of Anubis' bed. Although Anubis was too deep in slumber to notice anything, Paws raised his head. Paws perked his ears, but seeing as I wasn't showing any signs of distress, he decided to curl back to sleep. It didn't surprise me Paws could see him. I suppose I had come to trust his senses could pick up these things.

"I need you for something," I said to Amun.

"I need you for something as well, but that can wait. What is your need?"

"Since you're the god of hidden things, if someone were keeping a secret you would know about it, right?"

"Of course. No one keeps secrets from me."

"So you know that Isis lied about her involvement in tricking Osiris. Nephthys took all the blame even though it wasn't even her idea."

"Oh yeah," Amun snickered. "It's not a tightly kept secret. Osiris knows but chooses to pretend he doesn't, as well as some other gods. Why do you bring it up?"

"I want to know what else Isis has done that Nephthys is taking the blame for."

Amun smiled in a way that made it look like he was holding in a laugh. There was a moment of silence before he uttered, "Go on."

I sighed and confessed, "I think Isis may have been involved in taking Anubis' heart."

This time he did laugh, bursting out in near hysterics. At first I panicked he might wake Anubis but realized Anubis wouldn't be able to hear him. I waited, growing frustrated with him.

"Oh, that's grand," he finally said. "I like the way you're thinking."

"So I'm right?"

"No, you're dead wrong. Isis would never do that to Anubis. But this is good."

"What's so good about it?" I skeptically asked.

"You're no longer swallowing everything the gods tell you. You're questioning them. If you want to know what is really going on, that is what you'll have to do to find your answers."

I was uneasy. Being completely in the care of gods, it didn't seem right to always be skeptical of whether they were telling me the truth. Yet no one knows why Nephthys stole Anubis' heart. My impression is that there wasn't motive. That or no one wants to tell the whole truth of what happened just like no one wants to say that Isis betrayed her husband.

"Fine, I'll think about it. At least tell me why Isis wouldn't -"

I was cut off by a nurse walking into the room. She came in holding a clipboard and looked up from it with a stern expression. "I hope you could keep your voices down while the patient sleeps. I could hear you laughing from the hall."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Amun replied courteously. "I wasn't trying to wake anyone. I promise it won't happen again."

She looked between the two of us suspiciously. "Dr. Ankh said only a young woman would be staying in this room."

"Oh, he must not have had time to tell you. I'm Nick Darnell, Andrew's brother. I wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow but I got an earlier flight and just got here. He let me come in with Nakia, but I won't be staying. He said it was fine as long as I didn't stay long."

"I didn't hear this from the doctor."

"He looked awfully tired, ma'am. He must have been working a long shift."

The nurse tapped her feet, but gave a sigh and said, "Fine, I'll give you ten minutes to wrap things up and then I'll expect you to leave."

"You are too generous, ma'am." She seemed unable to keep up a fight with Amun. After checking on the IV and machines hooked up to Anubis, she swiftly left the room giving Amun a pointed look before leaving.

"I see why I have to question what the gods say."

He smirked and replied, "Of course. You can't trust any of us."

"Why would you let her see you, though?" I asked.

"It's not that I let her. Mortals can see me fine. It's only the gods I hide from."

"Why?"

"It's a secret."

I frowned, but Amun was enjoying himself too much to care. He stood up, stretching his arms as he did, and spoke. "I suppose no one has told you the story of how Set managed to kill Isis' child."

"No," I answered in shock. "I've never heard of that."

"It's no surprise. Those who remember that day don't speak of it. Isis' cries of pain were so terrible she even made the sun go still. It's a painful memory even to those uninvolved."

"Who was the child?"

"I could show you. Seeing it is the only way you can appreciate what happened. Then you would understand why Isis could never hurt Anubis."

I shifted uncomfortably. I wanted to know. Curiosity was bursting in my chest, but I knew where this was going. As last, I blurted out despite the nurse's scolding, "Why does it have to be a kiss?"

Amun actually looked surprised and questioned, "What's wrong with that?"

"It's perverted, that's what!"

With an impassive look, he walked directly in front of me and bent to my level until our noses were inches from each other. I was waiting for it, but he only said, "I don't find you the least bit attractive." He back away and mused, "This world has become so ignorant about magic."

"I've seen magic and it didn't involve any kissing!"

Amun sighed and took a seat at the pull-out bed. He seemed dejected, like this conversation had suddenly become a chore. "We'll start from the top. What do you need to perform a spell on someone?"

"The magic word," I replied sarcastically.

"Before that."

"Do I look like a magician?"

"First, you need a part of the person. The easiest to obtain is the person's name."

"How is a name part of them?"

"It is one of our souls, and as much a part of us as our limbs. We call them our _ren_. If someone knows your name, they can work whatever magic they wish on you, which is why we guard our names so adamantly.

"But you can use other parts of a person. Things like blood or a lock of hair works as well."

"That sounds like voodoo."

"Magic has many names but it's all the same. If you're in the presence of the person, then you can work the magic directly on them, but there are limitations depending on the spell your using and if your contact is just at skin surface or deeper."

Amun leaned forward where he sat and continued. "Now this is where it gets interesting. Do you know which part of the body the blood is most exposed."

I shook my head.

"The lips. That's what makes them red. Of course, the Egyptians didn't understand what it was about making contact with the lips that made magic so easy to perform. They just knew there was something special about it."

"That's a terrible excuse! You're a god. You should be able to work magic without having to do that."

"Taking and giving memories is very difficult to do. But, like you said, you're not a magician so I don't expect you to understand."

I folded my arms and scowled at him.

He remarked, "You're right in a way. There are gods that those kinds of spells come naturally to them." He fell backwards lying on the bed. He outstretched a hand, fingers spread out, as he said wistfully, "What I would give to be one of those gods."

"So it's about working magic on the blood, I take it."

"Essentially, yes," Amun replied from where you laid.

I got up from the bed and walked to the trolley that sat next to Anubis. The top drawer had what I wanted. I took the small scalpel and swiped it across my finger. The cut opened with a small drop of blood growing from it. I walked over to the bed and held my hand for him to see.

Amun knit his brows. "You're so reckless. You have no idea how dangerous that is."

"I'll burn the band-aid when the cut heals." The blood started to curl around my finger.

"Show me."

Amun stayed where he laid, but lift a hand to hold mine. His finger smeared across the trail of blood. The hospital room disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

_Author's Notes in the profile! The first four chapters have been redone so make sure to check out the profile to see what changes were made!_


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